Announcing that it is now China’s largest submarine cable carrying ship, State Grid Corporation’s Qifan-19 took to the seas on November 9. As Offshore Energy reports, Qifan-19 can carry 10,000 tons of cable, with a displacement of 24,000 tons.
Produced under the Guojiao No. 1 Brand, the vessel can be loaded with three different kinds of submarine cabling. Depending on the project, the ship can be equipped with 46.6 mile, three-core AC 220kV submarine cable, 81 mile single-core DC 300kV submarine cable, or a 1,243 mile communication optical cable.
“The first catenary cable laying system in China independently developed by State Grid Corporation of China employs the world’s most advanced dynamic positioning technology, which can resist the attack of Class-9 wind and the impact of 4-throttle sea water, ensuring the laying of cables with constant tension and speed. The laying accuracy can be up to 0.5 m,” the company reports.
State Grid of China also claims that Qifan-19 has the most advanced domestic towed water-spray cable burying machine available, allowing it to bury cable almost 15 feet deep. Additionally, the company touts the vessel’s electric propulsion system, which employs a special power distribution station that conserves power by coordinating with the onboard diesel generator. The ship’s large size includes space for a helicopter landing platform.
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