Offshore staff
LONDON — The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has issued a new Code of Practice to improve installation of underwater power cables in offshore wind.
Its Code of Practice for Offshore Cable Laying in the Renewable Energy Industry (IMCA M264) addresses issues for safe laying and termination of offshore power cables to prevent damage.
This, the association says, is a major challenge for offshore developers with offshore cable failures incurring multi-million dollar losses to all involved in the delivery, including contractors, developers and insurers.
At the point where cables leave the laying vessel and arrive at the seabed, they are frequently subject to damage due to over-bending, cable-pulling and inadequate design of lead into the monopole, the IMCA said.
The Code of Practice addresses issues such as the laying spread, the interface between the vessel and the spread, and the safest methodology for overboarding, trenching and cable pulling.
It is said to set a new baseline for safe laying of offshore submarine power cables that should lead to significant performance improvements.
Mark Ford, marine & quality manager at IMCA, said, “Contractors have come together to share their experiences around the design, testing, operation and maintenance of cable laying, the specialized equipment and technology used, and how it interfaces with supporting vessels…
“Fixing ongoing challenges around the installation of power cables could bring substantial savings for project and maintenance costs. Research shows that 90% of insurance claims for power cables are due to damage caused during installation, and this new IMCA Code of Practice will help reduce this figure.”
10.27.2023
