NTT Communications (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT Group), has launched its new submarine cable-laying vessel at Kanrei shipyard in Tokushima, Japan.
Named Kizuna, the vessel has a capacity of 8,500t and features 109m in length and 20m in width.
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Construction of the ship, which can cruise at a speed of around 13k and can accommodate up to 60 crews, will be completed by the end of fiscal 2016.
Once completed, Kizuna will be owned by NTT Finance and will be leased to NTTWEM when required.
NTT Com, the parent company of NTTWEM, and other telecommunication companies and service providers will use Kizuna to lay and maintain submarine cables used for delivering network and cloud services, mainly in Japanese waters.
Submarine cables currently support mobile communications, video distribution, music sharing, as well as transmission of enterprise data and internet of things (IoT)-related data collected from sensors across the globe.
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By GlobalDataNTT Com noted that Kizuna is configured with azimuth propellers, an electric propulsion system and a dynamic positioning system.
These specifications will enable the vessel to navigate quickly to selected locations and once in position, to withstand wind velocities of up to 14m per second, wave heights of up to 3m, and ocean currents of up to 3k.
Kizuna, which is a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), also features a jet cable laying system and has the ability to operate at a maximum depth of 2,500m.
Additionally, the vessel features two heavy-duty cranes and a large work space at the stern.
Designed to assist disaster recovery operations, Kizuna can also transport disaster recovery vehicles and emergency cellular network base stations, as well as satellite communication facilities and other operations.
Image: Rendering of Kizuna. Photo: courtesy of NTT Communications Corporations.
