Seatools, a leader in industrial-quality subsea equipment, proudly unveils its patented seabed pre-cutting and clearance technology, Iron Bull. This innovative solution mitigates risks posed by adverse soil conditions and subsurface obstacles, offering Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) developers and contractors significant reductions in both risks and costs during offshore cable installation operations.

The technology removes all (sub-)surface objects, such as boulders and obsolete cables, that could obstruct cable laying and burial operations. Additionally, it loosens the soil through pre-cutting with unique drum cutting technology. By fully clearing and loosening the cable trajectory over a 4-meter width, productivity, predictability, and accuracy in achieving required burial depths for subsequent cable operations are significantly enhanced.

These improvements lead to substantial cost reductions due to shorter cable burial times and higher success rates in meeting required burial depths, reducing the need for extra unplanned protection work like subsea rock installations. Beyond cost benefits, seabed pre-conditioning and comprehensive soil data collection during initial offshore wind farm construction ensure a more reliable construction schedule. Moreover, achieving required burial depths directly minimizes cable manipulation during installation, reducing the risk of cable damage, which is critical since mechanical loads cause about 50% of subsea power cable failures.

Protecting critical infrastructure like submarine cables through effective burial against external threats such as anchors, fishery, and sabotage is vital. However, cable burial in hard soil conditions like (boulder) clays, rocks, dense sands, and glacial till is a common industry challenge. Difficulties in meeting required burial depths, along with low and unpredictable progress rates, lead to high costs, high risk mark-ups, and construction delays. This problem is likely to become more apparent as more offshore wind farms are constructed in areas with difficult seabed conditions, such as northern UK, Scandinavia, the US, and Japan.

The technology features a 2 MW towed sledge, comparable in size and weight to a typical cable plough, incorporating robust and proven dredging technologies. Jet-assisted rippers at the front remove large obstructions like boulders.

The hydraulically tiltable rippers can exert immense break-out forces on objects stuck in the seabed, eliminating the need for costly vessels with high bollard pull capacities that would otherwise be required by conventional tools relying solely on towing forces to remove obstructions. Additionally, the tool features twin counter-rotating drum cutters for transforming virtually any type of soil into loose, eventually jet-able material. The drum cutters, equipped with Seatools’ proprietary jet assistance technology, prevent clogging even in the stickiest clay materials. Aft rippers remove any remaining small objects, ensuring the seabed is prepared for efficient and effective cable burial by standard jet trenchers.

The technology is developed in partnership with Bruno Tack, founder of Innovate2dredge. With over 30 years of experience and numerous patents in the field of dredging difficult soils, Bruno is a leading expert in troubleshooting, production improvement, and the development of dredging processes and equipment. This collaboration, combining Bruno’s specialized dredging knowledge with Seatools’ expertise in designing and manufacturing high-power, industrial-quality subsea equipment, has resulted in this disruptive innovation.

Seatools is actively advancing this innovative technology and engaging with various stakeholders, including developers and partners, to further its development and application. The aim is to collaboratively refine, develop, and commercialize the technology, potentially through strategic projects, targeting a market introduction by 2027.

Johan Sol, Business Development Manager at Seatools, expresses his enthusiasm: “We are excited about our collaboration with Bruno and the introduction of this new pre-cutting and clearance technology. Our discussions with developers highlight the great potential of this innovation, and we are eager to bring it to market with pioneering partners. Enhancing cable installation productivity is becoming crucial for the offshore wind industry, as research from Spinergie indicates that by 2030, over 50% of cable installation demand may be unmet due to capacity shortages. By introducing robust dredging technology that effectively pre-conditions the seabed, we believe developers and contractors can significantly boost productivity while reducing risks.”