Steerprop Tapped to Propel Cable Layer

Being built by China Merchants Heavy Industry Haimen (CMHI) for Jan De Nul Group and scheduled for delivery in 2026, the Fleeming Jenkin is touted to become the world's largest Cable-Laying Vessel (CLV). Main propulsion for the Fleeming Jenkin will come from four Steerprop azimuth thrusters, enhanced by three tunnel thrusters and two retractable. An additional full main thruster and extensive spares package will also be supplied as part of the contract with Steerprop. In addition to the Fleeming Jenkin, Jan De Nul is also building a second identical vessel with three carousels and a cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tons.

"This is a milestone project for us, and not just because of the technology; we showed that we were able to adapt to various end-customer requirements and be flexible in terms of CMHI's needs in order to ensure that the building and commissioning phases occur seamlessly," said Juho Rekola, Director, Sales and Project Management.