NYK has completed the basic design of a cable-laying vessel being developed for the construction of a long-distance subsea direct current (DC) transmission network off Japan and obtained general design approval (GDA) from ClassNK for the vessel’s basic design.

NYK is participating in a four-company consortium with Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd, Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd as part of a NEDO-sponsored project to develop advanced cable protection methods and specialised cable-laying vessels. This is part of NEDO’s RIGHT project, which aims to develop high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technologies by multi-plexing direct current transmission lines from wind power generation, by ensuring proper protection control and power flow control for reliable and efficient transmission. Together with Sumitomo Electric and with the co-operation of Furukawa Elec-tric, NYK has been responsible for developing the cable-laying vessel.

With the completion of the vessel’s basic design and the acquisition of GDA from ClassNK, NYK has achieved its initial objectives within this NEDO-supported project.