Redefining offshore-energy cable systems

REdEfInInG offshoREEnERGy CaBLE sysTEms

For almost 70 years the Hellenic Cables Group has led the field in the development of advanced, submarine and data-transmission cables, as well as in a broad range of other high performance cable systems. Many of its recent high-profile contracts underscore the depth of know-how and expertise that this dynamic company processes, as Philip Yorke reports.

The Cablel Hellenic Cables Group S.A. was founded in Athens in 1950 and has become one of the largest cable manufacturers in the world. It offers its clients a portfolio of the most reliable, high-tech and competitive cable solutions available anywhere. With almost 70 years of experience and a strong emphasis on exports, it focuses on the development of value-added products to meet the changing needs of its global, blue-chip customers. Today the high-tech Cablel Group manufactures specialised cables for the power, telecommunications and data industries, as well as for the photovoltaic and construction sectors which often require enamelled wire cables and compounds and a host of other complex material combinations.

on-going investments

Hellenic Cables has always blended its enviable technical knowhow with its on-going programme of continual investment in new technology. This guarantees its clients the highest possible levels of efficiency and performance, as well as giving them the competitive

edge. Hellenic’s commitment to sustainable development has also been a key factor in enabling it to establish a strong market position internationally. The company’s extensive production facilities are comprised of six state-of-the-art manufacturing plants located in Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

Today many of the world’s most famous brands rely on Hellenic Cables for their expertise and solid performance at all stages of production and installation. The company’s extensive client base includes such well-known international brands as Bombardier, Vodaphone, Schneider Electric, Alstom, and Siemens, Network Rail UK, Vattenfall and Dewa.

optimised turnkey solutions

Since it was founded, Hellenic Cables has undertaken an infinite range of prestige turnkey projects. Many of these have been for the supply and installation of advanced submarine power cables, and high-voltage underground cables, as well as armoured and special application cables. Utilising its extensive range of facilities the company employs its own highly specialised production assets, and well-established expert subcontractors, enabling it to deliver optimal outcomes in terms of value, performance and reliability.

The capabilities of the Hellenic Cable group in submarine cable projects is unrivalled and includes the engineering of systems to meet a diverse range of critical criteria and diverse specifications. In addition, it also conducts cable-route surveys at the shoreline and in the open sea as well as at the designated underground segments. The group will also take care of the transportation of cables to site as, well as the installation of cables utilising its specialised cable-laying vessels, equipped with advanced navigational equipment, dynamic positioning systems and sophisticated cable-laying machinery.

In addition, Hellenic Cables can handle the submersion of cables at the shoreline on the land segments, as well as the construction of beach manholes and other civil-related works. Furthermore, it will commission the new system and train its customer’s personnel in the operation and maintenance of each installation.

Setting new gold standards

Last year’s Energy Mastering awards were held in Greece and there was stiff competition from across the world. The award was based on the optimisation of electrical power conservation, to be achieved through improvement of the quality of supply and the decrease of power distribution losses.

In this category Hellenic Cables S.A. won the gold prize for an exciting energy-saving project conducted at its compounding plant in Greece. The coveted Energy Mastering Awards recognise and reward the best energy-efficient conservation and sustainable practices company.

In the framework of the Hellenic company’s Corporate Responsibility Initiative and its on-going commitment to Sustainable Development, whilst in the process respecting the environment, the com-

pany undertook an electric power conservation study. This study involved its rubber and plastic compounding plant in collaboration with the specialised technical services of Redexd S.A of Greece.

The percentage of electrical power savings, during the first nine months of the project, was 4.7 per cent. In parallel to this, a decrease of CO2 indirect emissions was achieved by more than 312 tonnes per annum. This prestigious award confirms the unswerving course of Hellenic Cables towards ever greater sustainability and it strengthens the company’s resolve to continue to set the highest standards for the industry. This valuable project demonstrates that when more energy is conserved, resource use is minimised and environmental footprints are significantly reduced.

Delivering unique, high-profile systems

Recently Hellenic Cable S.A. was awarded a high-profile contract to supply the DME group of Belgium with advanced submarine cable systems as part of Europe’s largest offshore grid project, known as MOG, which is located in the North Sea. The €70 million contract was awarded in association with dredging International NV, a subsidiary of the DME Group. It is for the supply of high-voltage submarine cable systems, which are intended to progressively connect the planned offshore windfarms in the Belgian sector of the North Sea, with the on-shore high-voltage grid situated on the Belgian mainland at Zeebrugge.

Hellenic Cable’s responsibilities for this prestige contract include the design, engineering, manufacturing, jointing termination and testing of more than 90km of 220kV composite, three-core, XLPE insulated submarine cables. These also include three optical cables comprised of 48 fibres each. The high-voltage cables will be manufactured at the Hellenic Cables subsidiary, Fulgar, located in Corinth, Greece, where the production and testing of continuous lengths of the longest submarine cables in the world is empowered by Hellenic’s unique, state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. This major offshore contract underscores Hellenic Cables’ leading position in the submarine cable manufacturing market, as well as in the global offshore energy industry as a whole. n

For further details of Hellenic Cable’s high-tech innovative cable products and systems visit: www.cablel.com