Partnership to Equip New Hybrid Vessel With Next-Generation Alpha ROV

Global Marine has partnered with Orange Marine to equip its next-generation cable maintenance vessel with a custom-built Alpha Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Designed and manufactured by Orange Marine’s Submarine Vehicles department in Provence, France, the Alpha series is engineered to support demanding telecommunications and power subsea cable operations. The vehicle features 450 kW of total installed power, with 300 kW dedicated to high-pressure jetting. Capable of operating at depths of up to 3,000 meters, it can perform cable burial operations down to 3 meters depending on seabed conditions. To ensure maximum operational flexibility across varied mission profiles, the ROV’s tracked configuration can also adapt to a free-swimming mode.

The vehicle supports a broad range of subsea tasks, including cable detection, inspection, survey, cutting, gripping, burial, and reburial. Orange Marine will customize the unit specifically to meet the operational requirements of Global Marine’s new vessel.

The ROV will be deployed aboard a hybrid-powered cable maintenance vessel currently under construction at Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka, with delivery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2029. Designed specifically for fiber-optic submarine cable repair, the new ship represents a significant investment in fleet renewal. The combination of the vessel and the Alpha ROV aims to provide enhanced subsea inspection, maintenance, protection, and repair capabilities to support long-term agreements with global cable owners.

Simon Hibberd, Chief Executive Officer of Global Marine Group, said, “We are delighted to strengthen our operational capabilities through the addition of the Alpha ROV, while continuing our highly valued partnership with Orange Marine. A trusted partner for many years, Orange Marine shares our commitment to operational excellence and innovation, and we are proud to build on this successful relationship as we invest in the future of our subsea operations. The Alpha ROV represents an important enhancement to our capabilities, helping us continue to deliver the exceptional levels of service our customers expect.

“The Alpha ROV enhances our ability to perform safe, precise and efficient subsea operations worldwide, while reinforcing our position at the forefront of the industry. It also marks another important milestone in our long-term investment and fleet renewal strategy, underlining our confidence in the future of global subsea infrastructure.

“We look forward to deploying the Alpha ROV aboard our new cable maintenance vessel in 2029 and to further building on our successful collaboration with Orange Marine as we continue to provide world-class maintenance and repair solutions.”

Orange Marine brings decades of engineering and manufacturing experience in subsea robotics alongside its ongoing cable ship operations, supplying vehicles, maintenance support, and operational teams to the global subsea cable industry.

Didier Dillard, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Marine, said, “We are particularly proud that Global Marine has selected our Alpha technology for its nextgeneration cable maintenance vessel. This collaboration recognizes the expertise developed by our teams in Provence in designing and manufacturing highly specialized subsea vehicles.

“Beyond our activities as a cable ship operator, Orange Marine has developed unique engineering and industrial capabilities over several decades in the design and manufacture of specialized subsea vehicles.

“We already support several leading players in the submarine cable industry, providing them not only with subsea vehicles, but also with long-term maintenance support and, in some cases, dedicated operational teams. Global Marine’s decision to select Alpha further demonstrates our ability to make this expertise and comprehensive range of services available to the international submarine cable industry.”