NKT Eleonora has departed VARD Shipyards Romania in Tulcea and is heading to VARD Brattvaag in Norway for the next phase of construction, according to an update from NKT.
The cable-laying vessel is being built for NKT by VARD. Steel cutting began at the Romanian yard on 5 November 2024, followed by the keel-laying ceremony on 15 January 2025.
The vessel will measure 176.5 m in length and 32 m in breadth. Its cable-handling system will include three turntables with a combined carrying capacity of 23,000 tonnes.
NKT Eleonora is designed to install three power cables during the same operation. NKT said this configuration is intended for projects including 525 kV cable systems that require a metallic return cable. The vessel will also have a DP3 dynamic-positioning system and an enclosed cable-handling deck.
The vessel is designed for dual-fuel operation using methanol and biofuel or marine gas oil. It is scheduled to become operational in 2027 and will join NKT Victoria in NKT’s cable-laying fleet.
