Global Marine Systems Limited has recently extended its capabilities at its depot on the south coast of England. Following the installation of a power cable carousel, the company now has the ability to store and manage power cable for owners and operators requiring a strategically placed location to home their most valuable of assets.
The Company’s vast experience in cable storage is already providing customers with peace of mind for their asset integrity management. The Company said one OFTO (Offshore Transmission Owner) client is already utilising the facility’s new capability. The purpose-built secured storage facility offers the ideal environment for the long-term protection of these valuable assets, in particular from Ultra Violet (UV) degradation and large temperature fluctuations, both key criteria for helping to ensure future trouble-free deployment. The facility in Portland, Dorset has been providing fibre optic cable storage for 18 years, and in addition to the new power cable carousels, contains 33 telecoms cable tanks, with a total capacity of 8,750 m3. The site currently stores 2,000km of telecoms cable for a multitude of customers, along with over 3,500 universal joint kits and associated equipment including repeaters, equalisers and branching units.
The site was built to specification and is geared to mobilise with ease between power and fibre optic cabling. The 2,000 tonne cable carousel is equipped with a 10 tonne tensioner and works alongside a 15 tonne quayside tensioner to ensure effective cable handling from vessel to shore, and back.
Portland Port is able to welcome a wide variety of vessels in its deep waters and large dock estate. Berthing right alongside the covered cable storage facility ensures cable handling can be kept to a minimum, reducing any risk of damage through movement and extending the lifespan of the assets. This, alongside favourable road access, provides the perfect platform for efficient cable storage and operations.
The facility is manned by qualified personnel and experienced cable engineers who handle the precious cable with care and are on hand to monitor on-going cable conditions and the wider environment, ensuring assets are well maintained for future use. The facility also completes cable testing as customers require, offering assurance to owners ahead of retrieving the cable from storage for use on installation and maintenance operations.
