This project marks the largest foreign initiative undertaken by Herbosch-Kiere to date. In collaboration with our joint venture partner, Enshore Subsea, we are joining forces under the Dakar Marine Link initiative. The expected duration of the work extends until April 2025.
Project
The project involves the installation of two submarine power cables with a voltage of 225 kV and a length of about 16 km, as well as six power cables with a length of 1.9 km on land. The undersea cables run between the western (Rive Bel Air) and eastern (Cape Des Biches) sides of Dakar Bay. Herbosch-Kiere’s main responsibility is to dig trenches into which the cables will be installed. After installation, Herbosch-Kiere will also backfill the offshore trenches, either by placing back soil material (back-filling) or by installing concrete mattresses for protection.
Project background
The motivation for this project lies in the demand for an improved high-voltage grid in Dakar and surrounding areas. The Senegalese and US governments are joining forces in the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) to realise various projects. With $550 million in funding from the US-based Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the aim of this initiative is to support the global fight against poverty. Our project, with MCA as client, fits perfectly within this objective.
Equipment
Three of our largest vessels will be used for the execution of this project: the self-propelled multipurpose vessel Atlantis, Herbosch-Kiere’s largest pontoon called Gaverland and the newest cable-laying vessel CMOS Installer. Atlantis will be used for excavation work offshore, with a focus on areas with harder ground layers. The vessel will then support Enshore Subsea in trenching (trenching) and backfilling the trenches.
Gaverland, on the other hand, will stay closer to the coast and will be used to dig trenches for cable landing points near the beach. In addition, the pontoon will take care of installing HDPE pipes in these trenches and backfilling the trenches after cable installation.
Finally, from CMOS Installer, the cable will be rolled out into the sea.