Nexans has reached a key construction milestone for its next-generation cable-laying vessel (CLV), the Nexans Electra, with the launching of the hull from the dock hall at Ulstein Verft in Norway, on November 13, 2025. The project has now moved into the outfitting and commissioning phase ahead of scheduled delivery in 2026.
The vessel is the third in the company’s fleet of large-scale cable layers and is intended to boost Nexans’ capacity to deliver engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) subsea power cable projects for offshore wind and interconnection markets.
The Nexans Electra is 149.9m long and 31m wide. It will have a total cable capacity of 13,500 metric tons across three turntables and is designed to lay up to four cables simultaneously, improving installation efficiency on complex offshore projects. The vessel will accommodate a range of subsea cable-handling systems and tools, including jetting and burial equipment.
The hull was completed inside Ulstein Verft’s covered dock hall, allowing major internal systems to be installed under controlled conditions before launch. The next steps include completion of outfitting quayside, followed by sea trials.
The vessel features an advanced hybrid power system to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. It will also be capable of operating on biodiesel blends, lowering its environmental impact in line with industry requirements for reduced lifecycle emissions in offshore wind construction and grid connection projects.
Pascal Radue, executive VP of Nexans Power transmission business group, said, “Our fleet is at the heart of what we do as an EPCI company. Each vessel represents our ability to deliver the world’s most complex subsea projects safely and on time. The launch of the Nexans Electra hull marks an important milestone toward expanding our capacity to support the acceleration of the global energy transition.”
The new-build follows the Nexans Aurora, delivered in 2021, and reflects growing demand for large-capacity, deepwater-capable cable layers as offshore wind farms increase in scale and the number of cross-border power interconnectors rises.
Demand for subsea high-voltage cables has accelerated with multi-gigawatt wind projects and plans for meshed offshore transmission networks in Europe and beyond. Vessels with higher cable capacity and multi-cable laying capability are increasingly seen as critical to shorten installation windows and reduce project risk.
Ulstein Verft has previously delivered several offshore construction and cable installation vessels. The covered hall used for the Electra is designed to improve quality and schedule predictability by enabling work in a controlled environment, regardless of weather conditions.
Once in service, the vessel is expected to support projects in Europe, North America and emerging offshore wind markets in Asia and the Middle East.
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