Submarine Cable Installation, Burial, Repair, and Maintenance
Submarine cable work requires more than marine construction experience. It requires precise planning, specialized cable handling systems, engineered equipment configurations, experienced field leadership, and the ability to adapt to changing marine conditions without compromising the cable system, schedule, or safety.
CMI has successfully installed and repaired submarine power and telecommunications cable systems for clients throughout the United States and internationally. Our teams support high- and medium-voltage submarine power cable installation, submarine fiber optic cable installation, shore-end work, route clearance, post-lay burial, transpooling, repair, maintenance, and marine route development.
We understand the risks inherent in cable work: cable integrity, bend radius management, tension control, seabed conditions, burial depth requirements, vessel positioning, weather windows, environmental restrictions, and coordination with multiple project stakeholders. CMI’s equipment fleet and in-house technical capability allow us to plan and execute these operations with control and confidence.
In-House Expertise
- High- and medium-voltage submarine power cable installation
- Submarine fiber optic cable installation
- Submarine cable repair and maintenance
- Cable system and cable fault location
- Marine route design and route review
- Route clearance and PLGR
- Shore-end installation
- Cable transpooling
- Post-lay cable burial
- Jet sled burial capabilities
- Custom cable lay navigation systems
- Linear cable engines for fiber and power cable
- Kongsberg/Thrustmaster DP-2 positioning support
- Submarine utility locate services
- HDD marine support
Meet the Sea Rhino
The Sea Rhino expands CMI’s cable burial and nearshore construction capabilities with a specialized amphibious tracked trenching system designed for challenging seabed and landfall conditions.
Developed with Royal IHC Offshore Energy Ltd., the Sea Rhino is a surface-fed amphibious Hi-Traq Jetter designed to operate across varied terrain, including shallow water, intertidal zones, soft ground, and underwater environments. Its four independently controlled tracks provide enhanced mobility, stability, steering, and suspension over uneven seabed conditions.
The Sea Rhino can support both direct burial and post-lay burial operations, allowing CMI to approach complex cable burial scopes with increased flexibility and control. For clients, that means stronger execution options when traditional burial methods are limited by access, bottom conditions, environmental constraints, or installation sequence.