The crew of FT Marine’s (Orange Group) brand new cable ship now uses the Vokkero® Evo3 communication system in their work.
100 metres long and 21 metres high, the « Pierre de Fermat » is a 4,000 tonne ship designed to lay and repair undersea cables (telecommunications and energy).
It has several cable drums in its holds, a vast rear deck equipped with cranes and davits and a double bridge to steer the ship during cable installation/maintenance manoeuvres.
This maintenance activity requires specific know-how and cannot be carried out without the assistance of a submarine robot costing several million euros, the ROV Hector 7. The risks linked to this work are numerous. The cable ship must find the cable and raise it using grabs and its remote-guided submarine robot.
From a dedicated room on the « Pierre de Fermat », an operator is responsible for navigating the submarine and can grab and cut the cable using the ROV’s (remotely operated vehicle) articulated arms.
Thanks to the Vokkero® system, the crew can now talk to each other continuously while handling the submarine. The system also enables them to remain in constant contact with the bridge and receive live information about the ship’s conditions while launching the submarine.
A totally hands-free system with a high-performance noise filter, robust, waterproof and providing instant communication, the Vokkero® system thus enables the « Pierre de Fermat » cable ship’s crew to work with total peace of mind.
About the « Pierre de Fermat » cable ship : flying the French flag and with a crew of about sixty people, the « Pierre de Fermat » is the most recent cable ship in the fleet belonging to Orange Marine, the subsidiary of the operator specialising in the laying and maintenance of undersea cables. There are only sixty or so ships of this type in the world.