BLRT completes special survey work on cable-layer Connector

BLRT Repair Yards Klaipėda has completed a major maintenance and special survey programme on the Luxembourg-flagged DP3 cable-laying vessel Connector for Jan De Nul Group.

The work was carried out during the vessel's third Special Survey and covered systems critical to propulsion, manoeuvrability, dynamic positioning and offshore operations. The vessel, equipped with two cable carousels and two work-class remotely operated vehicles, has previously supported projects including cable installation work at Denmark's Thor Offshore Wind Farm, the interconnector linking mainland Scotland and Hoy, and offshore developments in Abu Dhabi.

A central element of the project was the overhaul of Connector's propulsion and thruster systems. Additional work included chemical cleaning, grit blasting and recoating of 35 box coolers, extensive piping repairs, maintenance of the vessel's 400-tonne and 50-tonne offshore cranes, accommodation refurbishment and application of a silicone-based underwater hull coating system.

Various technical disciplines worked simultaneously throughout the project, with heavy equipment and components removed, inspected, serviced and reinstalled, while class survey requirements were integrated into the production schedule. Yard personnel worked alongside equipment specialists, customer representatives and the vessel's crew to complete the programme and prepare the ship for future offshore assignments.

The project highlights continued demand for specialist shiprepair and maintenance services for offshore support and cable-laying vessels, particularly as offshore wind and subsea power transmission projects expand. Such vessels rely on high levels of propulsion, positioning and equipment reliability to carry out complex installation work safely and efficiently.