Taihan Cable & Solution is strengthening its offshore wind construction capabilities with the deployment of a large cable-laying vessel as it prepares to put the Skandi Connector into commercial operation.
The company said Thursday that it held a safety ceremony for the Skandi Connector at Orient Shipyard in Busan’s Gamcheon Port on Wednesday, ahead of the vessel’s first offshore project.
The ceremony was attended by Taihan Cable & Solution Vice Chairman Song Jong-min, Hoban Group Planning President Kim Dae-heon, Hoban Group Vice President Kim Min-sung and other executives and employees. Participants inspected the vessel’s major facilities and equipment and reviewed its operational readiness ahead of field deployment.
The Skandi Connector is an 11,000-ton cable-laying vessel acquired by Taihan Cable & Solution in May. It is the largest cable-laying vessel in South Korea designed for offshore wind projects and is capable of carrying large volumes of submarine cable as well as transporting, laying and burying cables over long distances.
The vessel arrived in South Korea and was handed over to Taihan in July. Since then, the company has carried out inspections and maintenance work and assembled the operational team needed for offshore projects.
Its first assignment is scheduled to be the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind project. Taihan plans to deploy the vessel this month to bury submarine cables that have already been laid at the project site.
A remotely operated underwater vehicle known as a trencher will be used for the burial operation. The equipment excavates the seabed and places the cable at a designated depth, helping protect it from potential damage caused by fishing gear, ship anchors and other external factors.
Industry observers say construction capabilities have become increasingly important in the offshore wind sector as large-scale projects expand worldwide. Beyond manufacturing submarine cables, companies with the ability to handle transportation, laying and burial in-house can gain greater control over project schedules and costs.
The ability to deploy dedicated vessels at the right time is also becoming a key competitive factor, particularly for large offshore projects where weather and marine conditions can affect construction schedules.
Taihan plans to operate the Skandi Connector alongside its existing cable-laying vessel, PALOS. The two vessels will be deployed according to project size and construction requirements, creating a two-track operating system designed to improve the company’s flexibility in handling offshore cable projects.
The strategy is expected to strengthen Taihan’s turnkey capabilities, allowing the company to cover the entire submarine cable process from manufacturing and transportation to offshore laying and burial.
As offshore wind development expands in South Korea and overseas markets, demand for submarine cables is also expected to rise. Industry analysts say securing its own vessel capacity could therefore give Taihan an advantage in competing for future international projects by reducing its reliance on external marine contractors.
A Taihan Cable & Solution official said the operation of the Skandi Connector will mark an important step in strengthening the company’s offshore cable construction capabilities and added that the company aims to provide customers with integrated submarine cable solutions while accelerating its expansion into global markets.
