The world’s largest cable layer was launched at CMHI Haimen shipyard in China on October 23, 2025. The vessel, named Fleeming Jenkin, is the first of two advanced cable layers built for Jan De Nul Group.
The 215-meter-long vessel has a cable capacity of 28,000 tonnes, making it the largest of its kind. It can install longer and heavier subsea cables in waters up to 3,000 meters deep. The second sister ship will follow later.
The Fleeming Jenkin is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026, amid record demand for subsea power infrastructure. According to the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), Europe plans to invest EUR 400 billion in marine transmission projects by 2050.
Once delivered, the vessel will join TenneT’s 2GW Program, laying more than 2,800 kilometers of cable across a 700-kilometer route. Each connection will transmit up to two gigawatts of power, more than double the current capacity of existing systems.
The Ultra Low Emission vessel (ULEv) runs on biofuel and methanol and includes a 2.5 MWh battery system to optimize energy efficiency. This setup supports peak shaving, load smoothing, and reduced emissions.
