MakaiLay Software Installed on Prysmian Cable Layer
MakaiLay’s new 3D Viewer showing the vessel, plough and cable shapes for progressive time steps seen behind the vessel. Relevant GIS data can be imported, such as digital terrain tiles on the bathymetry and aerial imagery overlay on the terrain in the background, as is shown here (Image: Makai Ocean Engineering)
The cable deployment control software MakaiLay was commissioned on the DP2 cable laying vessel Giulio Verne in November 2017 by the Prysmian Group.
It is expected that MakaiLay with its power-cable-specific module will be used by Giulio Verne when it starts installation work for the North Sea Link between Norway and U.K., which will be the longest subsea power cable interconnector in the world upon completion in 2021.
“We made it our priority to extend our popular real-time submarine cable installation management software to submarine power cable installations and we are excited that an industry leader like Prysmian Group has decided to use our software,” said Dr. Jose Andres, president of Hawaii based Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc., producer of MakaiLay. “We have added specific tools to satisfy the unique demands of power cable installations and we will continue to enhance the software as we receive feedback from our installation partners.”
MakaiLay integrates data from all the typical instruments available on a vessel, such as navigation (GPS, Gyro), cable data (tension, cable counter & length), currents (ADCP) and bathymetry to calculate the shape of the cable in the water column and the condition of the cable near the touchdown point and displays this information in real-time. This information, together with a 3D dynamic model of the cable provides key information to the installers to properly install the cable along the route with the proper tensions.
The power cable module includes a collection of tools that were developed for addressing specific issues faced by power cables during installation. Some of the tools included are:
- Span Analysis tool to analyze the risks of cable free spans along the route.
- Heave Analysis tool to understand the cables’ response to various sea-states.
- Auto-Tension feature to maintain proper bottom tension during installation.
- Tide height correction feature to account for large sea surface height changes.
- Integrating measurements from touchdown monitoring tools (e.g. ROVs).
February 2024
