DeepOcean and TFKable Group’s controlling entity intend to form a joint venture to deliver integrated inter-array cable services for offshore wind projects, Offshore Energy reported. The plans also include a dedicated newbuild cable-laying vessel, bringing together cable production and offshore installation capabilities under a broader project delivery model.
The proposed venture would cover engineering, procurement, construction and installation. Its scope would extend from seabed mapping and cable-route surveys to engineering, manufacturing, transport, trenching, installation and cable protection. TFKable would contribute its subsea cable technology and manufacturing capacity, while DeepOcean would provide offshore engineering, installation and seabed intervention expertise. Inter-array systems would be the initial focus, although the partners could expand into other subsea cable applications later.
Development is intended to take place over several years, with capabilities added in stages and key milestones scheduled through 2029, according to Offshore Energy. The dedicated vessel would sit within a separate ownership entity comprising DeepOcean, TFKable Group’s controlling entity and Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu, Poland’s state-owned industrial development agency. Work towards the milestones needed for project sanction is continuing. The venture’s establishment and operation also remain conditional on competition approvals and customary closing requirements.
DeepOcean chief executive Øyvind Mikaelsen said offshore wind developers were seeking closer supply-chain integration. He presented the proposed combination as a way to limit the number of project interfaces, improve risk management and give customers greater confidence in delivery. TFKable’s continuing investments in subsea cable manufacturing capacity and technology in Poland and the UK would also support the planned services.
Piotr Mirek, a Tele-Fonika Kable management board member and JDR Cable Systems’ executive director for supply chains and investments, highlighted TFKable and JDR’s inter-array cable expertise and continued investment in technology, production capacity and product development. He said combining those resources with DeepOcean’s offshore capabilities could cover more of the cable project lifecycle, with the aim of reducing interface risk and making schedules and delivery more predictable.