Prysmian group claims record for densest subsea cable
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Cable manufacturer Prysmian Group has supplied what it says is the densest and highest fiber count subsea cable ever made.
The company has delivered a FlexTube cable containing 1,728 optical fibers for Australia’s Superloop for the TKO Express project.
TKO Express is a project to provide broadband connectivity between the aras of SiuSai Wan on Hong Kong Island and the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate data center hub on the mainland.
The company’s and industry’s previous record was a subsea FlexTube cable with just 720 fibers from 2014.
Prysmian Australia CEO Frererick Persson said the construction was a major logistics and engineering challenge.
The base cable was manufactured in France, then airlifted in Australia to apply moisture barriers and aluminum tape as well as double armoring layers of wrapped steel wires to ensure the cable could withstand being buried up to five meters into Hong Kong’s sea bed.
“It was a logistics challenge indeed. Airfreighting a drum weighing 15 tons was something that we have never done before. But we mastered it and the drum was successfully delivered to the TKO Port three days before the promised date. It has been definitely great success for both companies,” he said.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary purpose of the TKO Express project?
What is the primary purpose of the TKO Express project?
The TKO Express project aims to provide broadband connectivity. It links SiuSai Wan on Hong Kong Island with the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate data centre hub on the mainland.
Q.What significant logistical challenge did Prysmian Group face during this project?
What significant logistical challenge did Prysmian Group face during this project?
Prysmian Group faced the significant logistical challenge of airfreighting a 15-ton drum. This was an unprecedented task for them, required to deliver the base cable from France to Australia for further processing.
Q.Where was the initial manufacturing of the subsea cable carried out?
Where was the initial manufacturing of the subsea cable carried out?
The base cable was initially manufactured in France. It was then airlifted to Australia where additional layers, including moisture barriers, aluminium tape, and steel armoring, were applied.