Jan De Nul launches methanol-capable cable-laying vessel

Belgian offshore contractor Jan De Nul has launched a new methanol-capable cable-laying vessel, William Thomson.

IMAGE: Jan De Nul’s methanol-capable cable-laying vessel William Thomson. Jan De Nul

A cable-laying vessel is a specialised ship used to install and repair submarine cables on the seabed.

With a capacity of 28,000 mt, the vessel can run on both methanol and conventional fuels.

William Thomson is one of two identical subsea cable-laying vessels under construction. The first, Fleeming Jenkin, was launched in October 2025 and is scheduled for delivery in the final quarter of 2026. William Thomson will follow soon after, with operations expected to begin in the first half of 2027.

Both vessels are set to begin work on a 2GW programme for Dutch grid operator TenneT, covering significant areas of Germany.

Further details, including the shipbuilder, have not yet been disclosed.

The global fleet of methanol-capable vessels currently numbers 123, with another 325 expected to be delivered by 2030, according to DNV data.

By Tuhin Roy

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