Taihan CLV PALOS Completes Export Cable Installation for the Yeonggwang Nakwol Offshore Project

16 July 2025

The cable-laying vessel PALOS is currently carrying out the export cable installation for the Yeonggwang Nakwol Offshore Wind Project. (Image credit: Taihan)

Taihan’s cable-laying vessel (CLV), PALOS, has successfully completed the installation of export cables for the Yeonggwang Nakwol Offshore Wind Project, demonstrating its exceptional performance. The project, located near Songido, Nakwol-myeon, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, is a large-scale initiative to develop a 364.8 MW wind power complex. With a total project cost of KRW 2.3 trillion, the facility will generate enough electricity to power approximately 250,000 households on a year-round basis upon completion. The overall project progress has now surpassed 50%.

This project marks the first deployment of PALOS since its acquisition by Taihan. The export cable installation, covering two 28 km lines, was carried out in two phases: the first phase took place over two weeks in mid-May, and the second phase began in late June and was completed last week. The installation of inter-array cables, also produced by Taihan, is scheduled to commence after July.

PALOS, introduced in November 2023, is a specialized cable-laying vessel acquired to secure Taihan’s turnkey competitiveness, spanning production, transportation, installation, and maintenance of submarine cables. As Korea’s only CLV, it was purpose-built from the design stage for submarine cable installation. With a top speed of 9 knots under its own power, PALOS offers installation speeds five to six times faster than CLBs (Cable Laying Barges) that rely on tugboats and maintain stability even in adverse weather and tidal conditions.

The vessel is a hybrid model capable of operating in both DP2 (Dynamic Positioning Class 2) mode, which automatically and precisely controls the vessel’s position, and Anchoring mode, which fixes the vessel using anchors as needed. DP2 mode is used for deep waters requiring high-precision installation, while anchoring mode, which consumes less fuel, is employed in shallow waters with minimal tidal influence, ensuring both efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Additionally, unlike conventional vessels, PALOS features a flat-bottom design that allows independent access to very shallow coastal areas, enabling all-weather deployment across diverse marine environments. It is particularly recognized for delivering optimal performance in the West Sea, where shallow depths and strong currents make cable installation highly challenging.

A Taihan official stated, “PALOS has proven both its stability and installation capabilities by successfully completing cable laying in the demanding West Sea region. Leveraging our turnkey competitiveness from production to installation, we anticipate creating diverse opportunities in upcoming large-scale offshore wind projects and the West Coast HVDC Energy Highway.”

Meanwhile, in June, Taihan completed the comprehensive construction of its first Dangjin submarine cable plant, capable of producing both export and inter-array cables for offshore wind power. In the second half of the year, the company plans to commence construction of its second plant, which will produce 640kV-class HVDC submarine cables and cables for the extra-long continuous export cable, thereby strengthening production capacity to participate in the West Coast HVDC Energy Highway project.