A cable-laying operation that stretches nearly the length of a marathon has taken the Boskalis vessel Ndurance halfway across the globe. Now stationed off the coast of Taiwan, the vessel is preparing to install two subsea export cables totaling 42.5 kilometers in length for the 294.5 MW TPC2 offshore wind farm. The mission marks a significant geographic and logistical undertaking, illustrating the complexity and global nature of offshore energy projects.
The Ndurance, better known for its operations in the North Sea, started its journey in the Mediterranean. After wrapping up its last project in Greece, the vessel embarked on a multi-stop voyage: navigating through Spain, passing Gibraltar, bunkering in South Africa, then on to Singapore and South Korea before finally reaching Taiwan. The journey itself reflects the intricate web of planning and coordination involved in project logistics of this scale.
One notable aspect of the route was the vessel’s stopover in Cape Town. There, Ndurance received critical support from colleagues at SMIT Salvage, a subsidiary of Boskalis. Operating a maritime emergency response center in South Africa, SMIT Salvage ensured the vessel was equipped for the remaining legs of its trip, highlighting the importance of internal coordination across continents.
Upon reaching South Korea, the vessel loaded the necessary cables in Donghae, a key hub in Asia for subsea cable manufacturing. From there, the final leg to Taiwan set the stage for the main operation: laying down export lines that will serve as the energy lifeline of the TPC2 project. Cable installation of this magnitude doesn’t just require technical precision—it demands a network of logistical support stretching across multiple countries, ports, and teams.
