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High Tech Cableship Global Sentinel

Global Sentinel

Global Sentinel (Photo Murray Polson)

Our Waterfront Correspondent in Victoria BC, Murray Polson, recently captured a fascinating series of images of the cable ship Global Sentinel. Victoria has always been identified as a strategic location for stationing a cable ship for responding to emergencies or for routine maintenance of undersea cables.

She was built by Keppel Fels, Singapore. She was launched in 1990 and completed in 1991 for Transoceanic Cable Ship Co. Inc (a subsidiary of AT & T). She was sold to Tyco Submarine Systems Ltd (TSSL) in 1997 and based at Baltimore for Atlantic Ocean repair duties as a sister ship to CS Global Link and CS Global Mariner. She is now owned by Tyco Telecommunications of Morristown NJ USA and managed by Transoceanic Cable Ship, Baltimore MD USA. She has carried out work all over the world (Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Turkey, Korea, and other locales).

Some of her past projects include the 1991 work on the Trans Pacific Cable 4: Manchester, California to Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada to Chikura, Japan. In 2007 Monterey Accelerated Research System (MRAS) consisting of 52 km of power and fibre optic cable laid in Monterey Bay, terminating in a 5–ton node containing earthquakes sensors and low light cameras.

Global Sentinel

Global Sentinel (Photo Murray Polson)

158m x 28m x 7.2m 13,201gt 8,527rt. IMO# 8900866 Registered in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Call sign V7KR4. She is equipped with diesel electric propulsion consisting of three Wartsila 12 cylinder engines driving 3 generators connected to electric motors. She is equipped with four thrusters, 2 forward, 2 aft. She can steam 10,000 nautical miles or 60 days. She has accommodations for 138 personnel. Some of her cable-dedicated equipment includes: an ROV (ST–200), and a Sea Plow (ARADO, SP).

Modern communications, including the internet, depend on submarine cables connecting continents and countries. The communications are far more secure than anything that is broadcast. There is a common misconception that nowadays most international communications are routed via satellites, when in fact well over 95 per cent of this traffic is actually routed via submarine fibre-optic cables. Data and voice transfer via these cables is not only cheaper, but also much quicker than via satellite.

Wave Venture

Cable Rollers on the stern of the Wave Venture (Photo Murray Polson)

Cable ships are designed for laying and repairing submarine cables and some are specialized for one or the other of those functions. Originally the ships were distinguished by a large roller on the bow. Now the rollers are often on the stern especially for the cable repair ships.

Wave Venture

Wave Venture (Photo Murray Polson)

The Wave Venture (IMO 8027810 141.5m x 19.39m x 3.51m 5,012dwt. 10.076gt) was built at Danyard Frederikshavn Denmark. She was converted in 1999 as a cable lay and multi–purpose offshore vessel. The vessel has been designed and constructed to a very high standard and has the ability to perform a variety of offshore and sub–sea operations.The vessel has the ability to perform multi–purpose roles, including ROV support, cable installations and offshore construction projects.

Wave Venture

The Wave Venture is primarily involved in maintaining and repairing undersea cables – so unlike the big rollers traditionally seen on the bow of cable–layers they are now generally located on the stern. She is owned by Global Marine Systems Limited, Chelmsford Essex UK and registered in London UK. She is powered by 1 x MAK Type 12 M453-600RPM 3600 kw engine. Call sign MZD07. (Photo Murray Polson)