PR
Taihan held a PALOS Commissioning ceremony
Taihan reported on the 24th that the commissioning ceremony for the 6,200-ton class submarine cable laying vessel “PALOS” took place at the pier where its second Dangjin submarine cable plant stands. Being the only offshore wind power cable laying vessel (CLV) in Korea, PALOS has the capacity to carry up to 4,400 tons of submarine cable in a single voyage.
The event was attended by around 200 participants, including key local figures such as Governor of Chungcheongnam-do, and Mayor of Dangjin. Representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea Wind Energy Industry Association, as well as various power companies, clients, and partner companies also attended.
The event proceeded with an opening performance, followed by welcome and congratulatory speeches, the reading of a prayer for safe voyage, and a champagne breaking ceremony, among other proceedings.
Constructed with the explicit purpose of laying submarine cables, PALOS exhibits far superior performance when compared to cable laying barges (CLBs) that were converted from cargo barges. Unlike conventional vessels, PALOS features a flat bottom, allowing it to operate at various sites regardless of water depth. The vessel is also outfitted with cutting-edge features such as Dynamic Positioning 2 (DP2).
Furthermore, as a powered vessel capable of reaching speeds of up to 9 knots, PALOS offers an exceptionally stable and precise approach to laying submarine cables, significantly outperforming CLBs that depend on tugboats and lack the capability to effectively respond to weather variations and currents.
“Today's launching ceremony marks South Korea's rise to one of the few countries globally equipped with a CLV, with only about 30 such vessels existing worldwide," said Song Jong-min, Vice Chairman of Taihan. "Palos will not only strengthen Taihan's construction competitiveness but also serve as a crucial strategic asset protecting Korea's offshore wind market from foreign competition"
"We will construct additional submarine cable factories and secure larger cable-laying vessels in the future, aiming to emerge as a powerhouse in the global offshore wind industry"
