Prysmian Group, a company active in the energy and telecommunications cable systems sector, sets a world record in broadband telecommunications network technologies with the creation of an underwater cable with the highest fiber density ever made. FlexTube® cable, containing 1,728 optical fibers, has been successfully installed by Australian provider Superloop, to provide broadband connection between Siu Sai Wan areas in Hong Kong Island and the data center of the Tseung Kwan O industrial complex (TKO) on the mainland. The previous record was achieved in 2014, when Prysmian created a FlexTube® underwater cable with 720 fibers.
"We are very proud to have taken part in a project of this magnitude, contributing to raising the technological standards of the sector and at the same time fully responding to customer needs" said Philippe Vanhille, Senior Vice President Telecom of Prysmian Group.
Frederick Persson, CEO of Prysmian Australia, adds: “We have made a major effort to coordinate resources and processes to ensure that our customers' stringent deadlines are met. Aware of the positive impact of this cable for their business in Hong Kong”.
To complete the project, Prysmian leveraged its strength as a global manufacturer with effective cooperation between its various subsidiaries. The core of the 1728-fiber FlexTube® cable was manufactured in Europe, in the Calais factory in France. It was then flown to Australia to apply additional layers of moisture barriers and aluminum tape at the Dee Why factory in Sydney. To ensure that the cable can best withstand being laid up to 5 meters into the Hong Kong seabed, a double row armor of steel wires has been applied. A final sheath was applied at the group's Liverpool plant, west of Sydney. The project started more than two years ago with the first cable drawing. The manufacturing process took approximately 6 months, allowing for transportation to Hong Kong in early December.
“Prysmian has been able to produce the densest and most compact submarine cable ever made thanks to the cooperation between the group's local and overseas plants, combined with our specific technical requirements,” says Superloop COO Matt Whitlock. “Seeing the cable manufactured in France and reworked in two different factories in Australia and then being flown to Hong Kong was fantastic. Prysmian has demonstrated its ability to handle engineering challenges in the construction and installation of submarine cables, including delivering 15 tonnes of cable on schedule,” adds Whitlock.
“It was also a logistical challenge” continues Frederick Persson “transporting a 15-ton cable by plane is something that had never been done before. But we rose to the challenge and the cable was delivered to the Port of TKO three days ahead of schedule. It was a great success for both of them."
With this project Prysmian reconfirms its role as a global manufacturer and thanks to its international capabilities it is able to respond to the increasingly growing challenges of technological innovation.
