SubCom Dependable
SubCom Dependable is one of the roughly sixty cable ships worldwide that keep the internet alive — laying new submarine cables and repairing broken ones, sailing for SubCom.
Specifications
| Operator | SubCom |
|---|---|
| Role | both |
| Flag | Marshall Islands |
| Built | 2002 |
| Length × beam | 139.1 m × 21 m |
| Gross tonnage | 12,184 |
| Cable capacity | 5,465.5 tonnes |
| Crew | 80 |
| DP class | DP2 (ABS +DPS-2) |
Equipment
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Overview
SubCom Dependable is a mid-sized cable ship built in 2002 and registered under the Marshall Islands flag. At 139.1 metres long with a beam of 21 metres and a gross tonnage of 12,184, it sits in the practical middle range of the global cable fleet — large enough to carry serious cable loads, manoeuvrable enough to work in confined repair corridors.
What It Does
Dependable is certified for both installation and repair work. On installation projects, coiled fibre-optic cable is loaded into the ship's hold tanks, then fed out steadily as the vessel follows a surveyed route across the seabed. For repair operations, the ship recovers a faulted cable section, makes a splice at sea, and returns the repaired length to the bottom.
With a cable capacity of 5,465.5 tonnes and berths for 80 crew, the vessel can sustain long ocean passages without returning to port for resupply.
Positioning and Burial Equipment
Dependable holds a DP2 dynamic positioning classification — meaning it can hold station automatically using thrusters alone, without anchoring, a critical capability when working over a precise seabed location. The ABS +DPS-2 notation reflects the certifying body's specific standard.
For burying cable against fishing gear and anchor damage, the ship carries a sea plough configurable for either 1.5-metre or 3-metre burial depth, depending on seabed conditions and protection requirements. A cable-trenching remotely operated vehicle (ROV), rated to 2,500 metres depth, extends burial capability into areas where a towed plough cannot operate safely.
Cable Engines
Cable handling is managed through one 16-tonne linear engine — which grips and controls the cable like a mechanical handshake — alongside two 4.0-metre drum engines used for storage and controlled pay-out. This combination supports both the steady tensions of deep-water laying and the more variable loads of recovery work.
Fleet Context
Base port and primary maintenance zone are not documented in available records. As part of SubCom's operational fleet, Dependable contributes dual-role capacity to a company that builds and maintains cable systems across multiple ocean regions.