Cable-laying vessels, also called cable layers, are specially designed for laying and repairing telegraph and telephone cable across vast water areas like channels, seas and oceans. Modern cable layers ar as efficeint in repair and maintenance operations as in long-haul cable laying. The internet boom together with the extraordinary expansion of telecommunication has led to the growing demand for vessels specialising in laying sub-sea optical fibre networks.


"The Cable Innovator" seems to be the largest vessel operating in this market. The ship was built by Kvaerner Masa Yards in Finland. All cable-laying operations are carried over the stern, so the bessel can mantain a high speed and is not slowed down during cable work. Moreover it can operate succesfully in extreme wether conditions. It has been designed to deploy a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The vehicle is connected to the ship via communication tether.