Cable Lay Tensioners

Overview

Track-style cable lay tensioners engineered and fabricated in-house for continuous-tension submarine cable installation — three production builds across the same precision-machined modular platform.

Closed-loop tension control with calibrated load-cell feedback, full PLC monitoring and synchronised drives across every build.
Variable-frequency electric drive on all three builds — no track HPU required, lower OPEX, cleaner deck.
Modular platform — polyurethane V-shaped pads with selectable profiles by product diameter, hinged upper tracks for quadrant by-pass.

Key Features

Three production builds — 15 MT Two Track, 20 MT Dual Track and 35 MT Quad (Four-Track) Lay
Closed-loop tension control with calibrated load-cell feedback on all builds
Variable-frequency electric drive — no track HPU required
Hinged upper tracks (15 MT & 35 MT builds) enable quadrant by-pass and top-loading
Polyurethane V-shaped pads, profile-selectable by product diameter
Synchronised drives prevent differential slip across all carriages
Local + remote operation; quick-connect cable remote and HMI control
Integrated safety interlocks: over-tension, slack detection, emergency stop

SFE Adventurer — 20 MT Dual Track — (Shinfox Far East · TPC2, Taiwan)

GL 2030 DP2 Barge — Full Lay-Spread — (LS Marine Solution)

Longyin 9 — Newbuild Package — (10,000 MT hybrid CLV)

Project Reference

Tensioners delivered across the cable-lay programme

Featured: 20 MT Dual Track for SFE Adventurer (Shinfox Far East / TPC2)

ClientShinfox Far East (SFE Adventurer) · LS Marine Solution (GL 2030)

VesselSFE Adventurer · GL 2030 DP2 Barge · Longyin 9

CountrySingapore (engineered & fabricated)

Year2024 – 2025

ClassABS (SFE Adventurer 20 MT) · project-specific elsewhere

Featured tensioner build: 20 MT Dual Track for the SFE Adventurer cable-lay equipment package — T&I engineering for TPC2 inter-array and export cable, barge-to-CLV conversion plus engineering and fabrication of 2 carousels, loading arm, electric-drive double-track tensioner and a compensated quadrant system. Sister deliveries include the 35 MT Quad Lay (four-track, 2-unit tandem) and the wider lay-spread packages on the GL 2030 DP2 Barge and Longyin 9.

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Engineering, fabrication, FAT and offshore commissioning — all under one roof.

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Project Reference

SFE Adventurer · GL 2030 DP2 Barge · Longyin 9 · Singapore (engineered & fabricated), 2024 – 2025

Photographs from the Featured: 20 MT Dual Track for SFE Adventurer (Shinfox Far East / TPC2) — engineered, fabricated and installed by Dimension.

Site installation aboard SFE Adventurer (gross weight 32,000 kg)

SFE Adventurer stern cable-lay deck — full equipment spread (carousel, tensioner, quadrant, overboarding chute)

SFE Adventurer post-conversion — cable lay vessel

Project photography from a Dimension build — SFE Adventurer · GL 2030 DP2 Barge · Longyin 9, Singapore (engineered & fabricated) (2024 – 2025). Class: ABS (SFE Adventurer 20 MT) · project-specific elsewhere. Client: Shinfox Far East (SFE Adventurer) · LS Marine Solution (GL 2030).

Build Variants

Individual Specifications by Build Size

Select a build to view its full specification table, vessel deployment and key features. All builds share the same modular, precision-machined platform.

Build Variant

15 MT Two Track Tensioner

15 MT · Two-Track · Vertically-mounted · Variable-Frequency Electric Drive · 1000 VDC supply · 2-Unit Tandem

Compact entry-point in the cable lay tensioner family — a robust PLC-controlled continuous-track system with two vertically-mounted track carriages running polyurethane V-shaped pads. The lower track is frame-fixed; the upper track rides on squeeze cylinders and is hinged for quadrant by-pass and top loading. The frame is open on one side for fast deck-side product loading. Variable-frequency electric drive (2 × 45 kW) with planetary gearbox and 1000 VDC supply — no track HPU required. Closed-loop tension control between 0 – 15 t set-point (≤ 20% accuracy de-rate at low set-points). Mobilises as a 2-unit tandem package.

Parameter	Value
Max Pull (pay-out, idler end)	15 MT
Number of Tracks	2 (vertically-mounted)
Laying Speed	0 – 1,200 m/hr
Track Contact Length	≈ 4 m
Max Track Squeeze	76 t nominal
Max Grip Force	19 t/m nominal
Track Opening	20 – 400 mm nominal
Cable Diameter	50 – 400 mm nominal
Pad Profile	Polyurethane V-shaped, profile-selectable
Tensioner Weight	≈ 28 t
Tensioner Dimensions (L×W×H)	8 × 2.5 × 3.5 m approx
Motor Rating	2 × 45 kW, 3-phase, 690 VAC, 60 Hz
Drive Type	Variable-frequency electric drive
Incoming Power Supply	1000 VDC
Gearbox	Planetary
PLC	Siemens / Rockwell / Schneider
HMI / Remote	Local HMI panel + quick-connect cable remote
Configuration	2-unit tandem package

Vertically-mounted twin-track design — compact deck footprint at 28 t
Hinged upper track enables quadrant by-pass and top loading without product break
Open one-side frame — fast pad change-out and deck-side loading
Closed-loop 0 – 15 t set-point with ≤ 20% accuracy de-rate at low set-points
Pure-electric drive (2 × 45 kW VFD) on 1000 VDC supply — no track HPU
Tandem 2-unit configuration scales tension envelope without re-engineering
Same precision-machined modular platform as the 20 MT and 35 MT builds

Build Variant

20 MT Dual Track Tensioner

SFE Adventurer · Shinfox Far East · TPC2 (Taiwan, 2024) · ABS class · electric drive, planetary gearbox

Twin-track cable lay tensioner delivered as part of the SFE Adventurer cable-lay equipment package for Shinfox Far East's TPC2 inter-array and export cable installation in Taiwan. Caterpillar track system with closed-loop load-cell feedback, calibrated for sub-tolerance tension control across the full cable diameter range. Scope included T&I engineering and barge-to-CLV conversion alongside the carousel, loading arm and compensated quadrant system.

Parameter	Value
Max Pull	20 MT
Number of Tracks	2 (caterpillar)
Laying Speed	0 – 1,200 m/hr
Track Contact Length	≈ 4 m
Max Track Squeeze	51 t nominal
Max Grip Force	17 t/m
Track Opening	20 – 400 mm
Cable Diameter	50 – 400 mm
Drive	Electric drive, planetary gearbox
Control	Local + remote — closed-loop load-cell feedback
Class	ABS (this build) — DNV / BV / LR on request
Operating Environment	Vessel-mounted, -20 °C to +50 °C
Vessel	SFE Adventurer
Client	Shinfox Far East
Project	TPC2 inter-array + export cable, Taiwan
Year	2024

Caterpillar track system designed for uniform contact pressure on the product
Line-pull capacity sized with adequate safety factor over maximum operational tension
Closed-loop tension control using calibrated load-cell feedback
Adjustable clamping force to accommodate varying product diameters and stiffness
Synchronised hydraulic or electric drives to prevent differential slip
Structural frame designed for dynamic loads and vessel motion effects
Integrated safety interlocks for over-tension, slack detection and emergency stop
Pivot system for factory-joint pass-through

Build Variant

35 MT Quad Lay Tensioner

35 MT · Four-Track · Variable-Frequency Electric Drive · 2-Unit Tandem · Hinged upper tracks

Larger sibling to the 20 MT dual-track build — a robust continuous-track tensioner with four diagonally-mounted carriages running polyurethane V-shaped pads. Lower tracks are frame-fixed while the upper pair rides on squeeze cylinders and is hinged for quadrant by-pass and top loading. The frame is open on one side for fast deck-side product loading. Variable-frequency electric drive (4 × 55 kW) with planetary gearboxes — closed-loop tension control between 0 – 35 t set-point (≤ 20% accuracy de-rate at low set-points). Mobilises as a 2-unit tandem package for higher-tension cable lay envelopes.

Parameter	Value
Max Pull (pay-out, idler end)	35 MT
Number of Tracks	4 (diagonally-mounted)
Laying Speed	0 – 1,200 m/hr
Track Contact Length	≈ 5.5 m
Friction Coefficient	0.15 nominal
Max Track Squeeze	140 t nominal
Max Grip Force	26 t/m nominal
Track Opening	20 – 400 mm nominal
Cable Diameter	50 – 400 mm nominal
Pad Profile	Polyurethane V-shaped, profile-selectable
Tensioner Weight	≈ 65.2 t
Tensioner Dimensions (L×W×H)	8.15 × 2.45 × 3.53 m approx
Motor Rating	4 × 55 kW, 3-phase, 690 VAC, 60 Hz
Drive Type	Variable-frequency electric drive
Gearbox	Planetary
PLC	Siemens / Rockwell / Schneider
HMI / Remote	Local HMI panel + quick-connect cable remote
Configuration	2-unit tandem package (high-tension lay)

Hinged upper tracks enable quadrant by-pass and top loading without product break
Open one-side frame — fast pad change-out and deck-side loading
Closed-loop 0 – 35 t set-point with ≤ 20% accuracy de-rate at low set-points
Pure-electric drive — no track HPU required
Tandem 2-unit configuration extends operating tension envelope
PLC-controlled with selectable Siemens / Rockwell / Schneider build options
Same highly-modular, precision-machined platform as the 20 MT dual-track build

Delivery Methodology

Cable Tensioner Build Process

Six integration gates from layout planning through class approval — the standard workflow applied to every cable tensioner Dimension delivers.

01

Layout Planning

Operations team sets integration layout against vessel and cable-path constraints.
02

Integrated Analysis

Tension, grip and load analysis across tensioner, A&R winch and cable path.
03

Tensioner Integration

Structural and mechanical integration of tensioner with control system and lay-spread.
04

Equipment FAT

Factory Acceptance Testing — function and load testing to rated capacity.
05

Tensioner FAT

Function testing of the integrated tensioner under working load.
06

Class Approvals

ABS / DNV / BV / LR class society approval — project-specific.

Outcome Every tensioner arrives at the shipyard class-approved, load-tested and supported by Dimension commissioning and operations crew.

Cable Lay Tensioners