Ile de Batz

Ile de Batz is one of the roughly sixty cable ships worldwide that keep the internet alive — laying new submarine cables and repairing broken ones, sailing for Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN Marine).

Specifications

OperatorAlcatel Submarine Networks (ASN Marine)
Roleinstallation
FlagFrance
Built2001, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Ulsan
Length × beam140.36 m × 23.4 m
Cable capacity6,000 tonnes
DP classDP II
Base portMarseille, France (registry)

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Overview

Ile de Batz is a cable installation ship operated by ASN Marine, the vessel arm of Alcatel Submarine Networks, one of the dominant forces in undersea cable construction. Built in 2001 at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea, the vessel flies the French flag and is registered at Marseille.

Configuration and capacity

At 140. 36 metres in length and 23. 4 metres across the beam, Ile de Batz is sized for major trunk-route deployments. Its cable-handling system centres on two main tanks holding 3,000 tonnes apiece, supplemented by two smaller 250-tonne tanks for spare or mid-route cable segments — a total carrying capacity of 6,000 tonnes.

That arrangement allows the ship to load discrete cable segments separately, reducing the risk of cross-contamination between different cable grades or armour types during a single voyage. Storage for up to 200 repeaters — the signal-amplifying housings spliced into the cable at regular intervals on long systems — rounds out the payload capability.

Operations

Installation work means laying new cable from the ship's stern across the seabed, with the vessel holding station using Dynamic Positioning class II (a system that uses thrusters and GPS to keep the ship in place without anchors, essential when working in deep water or near existing infrastructure). Ile de Batz reaches a maximum speed of 15.4 knots, with an economical cruising speed of 11.5 knots.

Fleet context

Marseil serves as both the ship's port of registry and its operational base, positioning it within reach of Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean cable corridors — all active territories for ASN Marine's installation programme. Crew complement and specific deployed equipment such as ploughs or remotely operated vehicles are not documented for this vessel.