ClassNK has granted General Design Approval (GDA) for a long-distance cable-laying vessel (CLV) developed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), confirming full compliance with detailed design standards.
The approval marks a key milestone for the vessel’s role in Japan’s subsea direct current (DC) transmission network initiative. Designed for long-distance subsea cable deployment, the CLV is part of a broader national strategy to enhance offshore power infrastructure.
NYK Line had begun engineering the self-propelled CLV in collaboration with Sumitomo Electric, following its initial conceptual design subcontract in 2022. The vessel is developed under the RIGHT Project, a high-voltage DC transmission program funded by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
In 2023, NEDO selected NYK as a core participant in a four-company consortium alongside Sumitomo Electric Industries, Furukawa Electric, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL). The group was tasked with advancing cable protection installation techniques and pioneering new CLV technologies for Japan’s offshore grid.
Following an Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK in 2024, NYK completed the vessel’s basic design by 13 February 2025. This accomplishment fulfills its initial engineering commitments under the NEDO-backed project.
