On March 26, LS Marine Solution announced an investment of 20 billion KRW to expand the loading capacity of the submarine cable laying vessel GL2030 from the current 4,000 tons to a domestic record of 7,000 tons.
The key aspect of this upgrade is to double the capacity of the carousel, the equipment used for storing and managing submarine cables. The carousel is essential for determining the amount of cable that can be transported and installed at one time. This upgrade is expected to significantly enhance the capability of large-scale submarine cable laying operations.
Once the GL2030 upgrade is completed, the maximum loading capacity will be increased, and the work duration per trip will be extended from the current two weeks to up to a month, greatly improving operational efficiency.
With the upcoming large-scale offshore wind power projects in the West Sea, such as Anma (532MW), Taean (500MW), and Shinan-Wooeui (400MW), LS Marine Solution plans to proactively pursue this upgrade to strengthen its competitive edge in bidding for these projects.
"The expansion and upgrade of the GL2030 is a strategic investment to respond to large-scale offshore wind power projects," said Kim Byung-ok, CEO of LS Marine Solution. "We aim to enhance the vessel's competitiveness and strengthen our market position."
In particular, the GL2030 is a Cable Laying Barge (CLB) optimized for laying submarine cables in the shallow waters of the Southwest Sea. The government plans to expand the current 124.5MW offshore wind power deployment to 12GW by 2030, focusing on the Southwest Sea, which is expected to drive growth for LS Marine Solution.
Furthermore, with the rapid growth of the offshore wind energy market in Asia, particularly in Taiwan and Vietnam, LS Marine Solution plans to confirm the introduction of new vessels within the year and actively expand into overseas markets.
