It increases the security of energy supply for consumers
It contributes to an integrated European electricity grid
Lieselot Vantomme
Senior Project Engineer Offshore
To realise the global energy transition, countries worldwide are embracing renewable energy and investing in offshore wind farms to power their future sustainably. But it's not just about generating energy; it's about harnessing its full potential. That's why countries are forging connections, literally and figuratively, by linking their electricity grids to exchange energy. With the Greenlink project, the UK is one of those leading the charge in this. By connecting the wind-swept coasts of Ireland and Wales, they are paving the way for a greener, interconnected world. Are we proud to make this happen? Ab-so-lutely!
It boosts regional investments and creates jobs
It has the potential to power around 380,000 homes
Greenlink is a subsea and underground electricity interconnector that is meant to link the power markets of Ireland and Great Britain. It is one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects for various reasons:
Connecting countries is not an easy task, but one from which we do not shy away. On behalf of Sumitomo Electrical Industries Ltd, we are installing and protecting the 160-kilometre interconnector cable in the Irish Sea. What’s so special about this? It was the first time we installed a bundled DC, or direct current, interconnector. Concretely, the interconnector consists of two high-voltage DC cables and one fibre optic cable bundled together.
Spring 2024
October 2023
In October 2023, our cable-laying vessel Connector successfully installed the first half of the cable, stretching from the heart of the Irish sea to the coast of Wales. With storm Ciarán approaching, it was all hands on deck to successfully install the cable and avoid extra connections. Meticulous planning and precise execution allowed us to successfully complete this phase.
To enable the cable installation and protection, we had a subcontractor carrying out horizontal directional drilling works on the Welsh and Irish coasts. With this technique, we had four underground pipes of around 1 kilometre installed through which the cables are pulled ashore. This facilitates the connection between the offshore interconnector and the land cables.
In spring 2024, we continued the work by installing the other 80 kilometres of cable extending from Ireland to the middle of the Irish Sea, again with our vessel Connector. Here, we picked up both cable ends from the seabed and jointed them together. Additionally, we are burying and protecting the cable in the seabed with, among others, our trencher Swordfish, launched from the support vessel Symphony. Where the seabed conditions do not allow burial, our rock installation vessel Simon Stevin is installing rocks to protect the cable.
We installed the Greenlink interconnector in two campaigns:
Compared to AC or alternating current cables, DC or direct current cables support higher power and present less loss, making them perfect to bridge long distances. The installation of DC cables as interconnectors and export cables will become more and more important. Currently, both our cable-laying vessels Isaac Newton and Connector are capable of installing this type of cables. In 2026, Fleeming Jenkin and her sister vessel will join our fleet. These XL vessels will even be able to install four cables simultaneously.
In the Greenlink project, our team and cable installation fleet showed the best of themselves. Not only did our fleet prove resistant to the harsh weather in the Irish Sea, we also successfully installed the DC cable bundle. And thanks to our versatile fleet, we were able to offer our client a one-stop shop solution. It makes us look forward even more to the future DC projects on the schedule, and to welcoming the Fleeming Jenkin and her sister vessel to our fleet.
In the Greenlink project, our team and cable installation fleet showed the best of themselves. Not only did our fleet prove resistant to the harsh weather in the Irish Sea, we also successfully installed the DC cable bundle. And thanks to our versatile fleet, we were able to offer our client a one-stop shop solution. It makes us look forward even more to the future DC projects on the schedule, and to welcoming the Fleeming Jenkin and her sister vessel to our fleet.
Lieselot Vantomme
Senior Project Engineer Offshore
To enable the cable installation and protection, we had a subcontractor carrying out horizontal directional drilling works on the Welsh and Irish coasts. With this technique, we had four underground pipes of around 1 kilometre installed through which the cables are pulled ashore. This facilitates the connection between the offshore interconnector and the land cables.
Spring 2024
October 2023
In October 2023, our cable-laying vessel Connector successfully installed the first half of the cable, stretching from the heart of the Irish sea to the coast of Wales. With storm Ciarán approaching, it was all hands on deck to successfully install the cable and avoid extra connections. Meticulous planning and precise execution allowed us to successfully complete this phase.
In spring 2024, we continued the work by installing the other 80 kilometres of cable extending from Ireland to the middle of the Irish Sea, again with our vessel Connector. Here, we picked up both cable ends from the seabed and jointed them together. Additionally, we are burying and protecting the cable in the seabed with, among others, our trencher Swordfish, launched from the support vessel Symphony. Where the seabed conditions do not allow burial, our rock installation vessel Simon Stevin is installing rocks to protect the cable.
We installed the Greenlink interconnector in two campaigns:
Compared to AC or alternating current cables, DC or direct current cables support higher power and present less loss, making them perfect to bridge long distances. The installation of DC cables as interconnectors and export cables will become more and more important. Currently, both our cable-laying vessels Isaac Newton and Connector are capable of installing this type of cables. In 2026, Fleeming Jenkin and her sister vessel will join our fleet. These XL vessels will even be able to install four cables simultaneously.
Connecting countries is not an easy task, but one from which we do not shy away. On behalf of Sumitomo Electrical Industries Ltd, we are installing and protecting the 160-kilometre interconnector cable in the Irish Sea. What’s so special about this? It was the first time we installed a bundled DC, or direct current, interconnector. Concretely, the interconnector consists of two high-voltage DC cables and one fibre optic cable bundled together.
It boosts regional investments and creates jobs
It increases the security of energy supply for consumers
It contributes to an integrated European electricity grid
It has the potential to power around 380,000 homes
To realise the global energy transition, countries worldwide are embracing renewable energy and investing in offshore wind farms to power their future sustainably. But it's not just about generating energy; it's about harnessing its full potential. That's why countries are forging connections, literally and figuratively, by linking their electricity grids to exchange energy. With the Greenlink project, the UK is one of those leading the charge in this. By connecting the wind-swept coasts of Ireland and Wales, they are paving the way for a greener, interconnected world. Are we proud to make this happen? Ab-so-lutely!
Greenlink is a subsea and underground electricity interconnector that is meant to link the power markets of Ireland and Great Britain. It is one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects for various reasons:
