Nexans, a global leader in advancing the energy transition and a major investor in U.S. infrastructure through its subsea transmission cable facility in South Carolina, has announced a landmark partnership with Crowley Wind Services, a premier American maritime and logistics company. Together, the companies will develop and operate the first Jones Act-compliant, U.S.-flagged cable lay barge, marking a significant step forward in domestic subsea cable deployment capabilities.
This specialized barge is designed to support the installation of subsea transmission lines essential for offshore wind power, telecommunications, and a wide range of industrial applications. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to accelerating the development of U.S. offshore energy and critical underwater infrastructure.
Strengthening U.S. Offshore Energy Infrastructure
Built in Louisiana and tested in the Gulf of Mexico, the 300-foot barge has been constructed to Nexans’ rigorous specifications. It will be operated by American mariners and outfitted with advanced subsea cable laying and burial systems. The barge will play a vital role in connecting offshore energy sources to onshore power grids and other critical infrastructure.
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Equipped with a dynamic positioning system and multiple-anchor positioning system, the vessel ensures precision cable placement-even in demanding offshore conditions. Its onboard 3,500-ton capacity carousel supports various burial tools, including a vertical injector, jet sled, and jetting ROV. The barge is also designed with scalability in mind, with upgrade potential to a 7,000-ton dual-carousel system for bundled cable installation.
Currently supporting Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore wind farm in New York, the vessel is also configurable for a wide array of subsea cable-laying and repair operations beyond wind energy.
“This barge will support our existing fleet of cable laying vessels, the Nexans CLV Aurora, Nexans C/S Skagerrak, and Nexans CLV Electra, and we are pleased to be working with Crowley on developing the capability to lay nearshore subsea cable in the US,” said Pascal Radue, EVP of Nexans‘ PWR-Transmission Business Group.
“The cable lay barge will provide a productive supply chain solution for offshore energy, telecommunications and other sectors,” said Graham Tyson, vice president of operations, Crowley Wind Services. “Coupled with our U.S. maritime fleet and mariners providing feedering services and other logistics and project management capabilities, we could not be better equipped to serve the needs of industries seeking subsea cable solutions.”