Nexans to supply cables for projects in Northern Europe

Global Marine Systems, a marine installer and maintenance provider of submarine fibre-optic cables, has ordered Nexans’ fibre-optic cable for three major telecommunications projects in Northern Europe.

The contract covers the supply of around 1050 km of Nexans URC-1 unrepeatered fibre-optic cable - since this type of cable typically comprises between 24 to 48 individual fibres that is enough optical fibre when laid end-to-end to span the globe.

The Global Marine projects cover a wide range of applications from transmitting scientific data from an arctic observation station, offshore communication between oil platforms and providing broadband access in remote areas of Scotland.

The URC-1 cables, manufactured in Nexans’ Norway plant, are capable of connecting land stations up to 500 km apart without the need for amplification by subsea repeaters. They feature a strong, robust construction and can be installed at water depths of up to 4000 metres.

Global Marine will deploy two fibre-optic cables, each around 250 km in length, to connect the Ny Aalesund observation station on the Arctic island of Svalbard to Longyearbyen, the administrative capital. Since the satellite station at Longyearbyen is already connected to mainland Norway, this extension will provide Ny Aalesund with high-speed access to the international network.

A second project will provide communications for oil platforms in the North Sea. Global Marine will also install Nexans’ fibre-optic cables as part of an ongoing expansion of broadband services to isolated communities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, funded by a partnership of Scottish Government, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Broadband Delivery UK and BT.