SubCom Durable
SubCom Durable 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 | 2003 |
| 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 Durable is a full-capability cable ship operated by SubCom, one of the principal contractors in the submarine cable industry. Registered under the Marshall Islands flag and built in 2003, the vessel handles both the installation of new cable systems and the repair of cables already on the seabed — a combination that makes it a flexible asset across the project lifecycle.
Dimensions and Capacity
At 139.1 metres in length with a 21-metre beam and a gross tonnage of 12,184, SubCom Durable carries up to 5,465.5 tonnes of cable coiled into its hold tanks. That cable is fed out over the stern during a lay, paid out at controlled tension as the ship tracks its planned route. An 80-berth crew complement supports around-the-clock operations across voyages that can run for weeks at a stretch.
Positioning and Handling Equipment
The ship holds ABS DP2 classification — meaning it uses a redundant dynamic positioning system to hold station without anchors, critical when working over a specific seabed point for a repair splice or a controlled burial run. Cable handling is managed through one 16-tonne linear engine, which grips and drives the cable at a steady rate, supported by two 4.0-metre drum engines for storage and tension control.
Burial Systems
For protecting cable against seabed hazards, SubCom Durable carries a towed sea plough capable of cutting burial trenches at either 1. 5 metres or 3 metres depth, depending on the sediment and protection requirements of the project.
Where the plough cannot reach — steep slopes, rocky ground, or deeper water — a cable-trenching ROV (a remotely operated underwater vehicle) rated to 2,500 metres takes over, jetting or cutting a trench and guiding the cable into it from the surface vessel above.