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‘Friendship Bridge’ undermined by slew of illegal cables used for nefarious ends

The Thai–Laos Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River that connects Thailand and Laos was envisioned at its opening in 1994 as a blessing for the two neighboring countries in terms of their economies, trade, tourism, investment, cultural exchanges, transportation and logistics. It worked, and to expand capacity, a second Friendship Bridge was opened in 2007, only in recent years the original intent was lost on some users. More specifically, those who chose to use the bridge for other purposes.

Per reports in the Bangkok Post, The Diplomat and Taiger, the 2nd Friendship Bridge hosted a wide range of illegal cables used for various unapproved “uses,” such as cross-border call center scams. National Broadcasting and Telecommunications commissioner Pol. Gen. Nathathorn Prousoontorn said that a total of 16 large-sized, high-speed fiber optic cables were laid across the bridge. “There were two 216-core cables, two 96-core cables and 14 24-core internet cables.”

An inspection found that scam gangs had also installed illegal internet cables several km into Myanmar. “Our sleuths used hi-tech gear to trace these cables, discovering they served a bustling business area in Laos, with the capacity to mislead up to 10,000 users at once,” Prousoontorn said.

A portion of the cables were laid by an authorized company, only that business exceeded their authority. Prousoontorn said that some of the cables were installed by a company the NBTC had licensed to provide telecom service, but only in Thailand. There also appears to have been multiple participants, and some arrests have been made. A joint task force in Tak caught one person who was using a water rocket launcher to extend Internet cables across the border into Myanmar for Chinese clients. The suspect admitted being hired.

“Given the size of the cables, they can transmit signals to four economic towns covering areas of hundreds of kilometres and provide internet services to many scammers who have moved their operations (from Laos) to this area,” Prousoontorn said. “This is our biggest seizure of illegal internet cables. Cutting them has prevented the call center gangs in this area from accessing the internet,” he said.

Assistant National Police Chief, Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot said that while rogue cables have surfaced over rivers and borderlands before, never have they been laid so boldly across international bridges.

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Japanese company orders a cable-laying vessel (CLV) to expand its offshore scope

Penta-Ocean Construction has ordered a cable-laying vessel (CLV) from the PaxOcean Group that will cost an estimated $243 million and be one the largest, most advanced such ships.

A press releases said that Penta-Ocean Construction, a major Japanese construction firm, specializes in marine works and land reclamation. The company said the order reflects its plan to expand beyond offshore wind turbine construction into power cable installation, targeting future offshore wind power projects in Japan’s exclusive economic zone and other regions.

The CLV will be self-propelled and mounted with two 5,000-metric to cable carousels that can provide “safe and efficient cable laying in the open sea” even in severe ocean conditions. It will include a trencher for burying cables and  work class remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The vessel is scheduled to be delivered in February 2028.

The 14,000-dwt cable layer was designed by Norwegian firm Salt Ship Design. PaxOcean Group, based in Singapore, will build the ship at its Batam yard. “The cable layer is capable of laying and burying not only cables for bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines but also for floating-type offshore wind turbines, as well as submarine direct current power transmission cables,” Penta-Ocean said.

Per Penta-Ocean, the cable layer will be 50/50 owned by a company subsidiary and Fuyo General Lease Co, while the trencher and work class ROV will be 65/35 owned by a company subsidiary and Kojimagumi Co. Japanese ocean dredger company Kojimagumi will handle the vessel’s operational management.

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POSCO closes wire rod plant, will shift some production to higher-value products

Citing harsh market conditions, South Korea’s POSCO closed its No. 1 wire rod plant at Pohang Steelworks, where it had been in operation for 45 years and nine months.

Per a report in BusinessKorea, the Nov. 19 decision stemmed from a prolonged global oversupply of steel and a resulting decline in the profitability of steel products. The plant, which began operations on Feb. 28, 1979, has produced a cumulative total of 28 million tons of wire rod products over its lifespan.

The closure, the article said, marks the second shutdown for POSCO in 2024, following the closure of the No. 1 Steelmaking Plant in July. The company said that related to continued global oversupply of steel, the influx of low-priced steel products from overseas, and the aging of the facilities. It noted that  in 2023, global wire rod plants had a production capacity of approximately 200 million tons, but actual demand was only 90 million tons. China, with a production capacity of 140 million tons, began exporting wire rods at low prices to neighboring countries due to a sluggish domestic construction market, leading to a steady decline in global wire rod prices. This oversupply and price decline have significantly impacted the profitability of wire rod production, prompting POSCO to reassess its operations.

The No. 1 Wire Rod Plant had a significant role in POSCO’s history, producing wire rods used as materials for nails, screws and high-strength tire reinforcements for automobiles. POSCO plans to shift the production of high-strength tire cord and welding rod for ships and automobiles, previously manufactured at the No. 1 Wire Rod Plant, to the No. 2 to No. 4 Wire Rod Plants. Employees who worked at the No. 1 Wire Rod Plant were to be reassigned to other departments within the company.

Looking forward, POSCO aims to reduce the proportion of low-priced products and focus its production capacity on high-value-added products such as high-strength bolts for automobiles (CHQ), spring steel, and bearing steel. This strategic shift is intended to improve profitability and competitiveness in the global steel market. POSCO’s future plans to restructure its wire rod production and sales strategy indicate the company’s efforts to adapt to changing market conditions and maintain its competitive edge.

Of note, POSCO opened a wire rod processing plant in the U.S. in 2017, with annual production capacity of 25,000 tons. POSCO invested $20.9 million, which at the time represented POSCO’s second largest overseas wire rod processing center, next to its center in Mexico.

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Prysmian lands offshore/onshore French transmission project worth €700 million

Prysmian reports that it has signed a Framework Agreement with Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE), the French TSO, for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (“EPCI”) of submarine power cable links.

A press release said that the links will connect two offshore wind farms to the French transmission grid, specifically the “Fos Project” and the “Narbonnaise Project”, covering both submarine and land parts (including also landfall works). The projects are subject to call off by RTE and finalization of the terms of the relevant EPCI contracts, which are expected to occur during the period 2026-2027. Delivery and commissioning is set for 2031-2032. These two EPCI contracts are altogether estimated at a potential value of approximately €700 million.

Each single project will consist of three High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) 225 kV three-core export cables with XLPE insulation, all equipped with synthetic armor. The approximately 400 km of land cables will be produced locally, in Gron, France, while the approximately 240 km of submarine cables will be manufactured at Prysmian’s centre of excellence in Arco Felice, Italy, and Pikkala, Finland, for a grand total of approx. 640 km of cables (land and submarine). Installation operation will be carried out using one of Prysmian’s proprietary advanced cable-laying vessels.

The Fos Project will be located on the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and will require some 300 km of cables (land and submarine), while the Narbonnaise Project, located on the coast of Occitanie will require about 340 km of cables (land and submarine), providing individually a potential capacity of 750 MW.

The projects were described as having strategic importance for RTE’s long-term plan power grid plans. Prysmian has a strong relationship with RTE from previous projects such as the France-Spain (Bay of Biscay), France – UK (IFA2) and Italy-France (Piedmont-Savoy) interconnections. “The development of offshore wind in France confirms Prysmian’s leadership in the sector, following the completed projects for submarine power cables in other offshore wind farms such as Fécamp, Calvados and Saint Nazaire and ongoing projects as Noirmoutier.”

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Taihan wins deal for South Korea cable project, signs MOU for material supplier

Taihan has been awarded a project from Korea South-East Power Co. (KOEN) for South Korea’s first extra-long continuous underground power grid project.

A press release said that the extra-long continuous cable technology enables the production and installation of cables exceeding 1 km in length in a single stretch, more than doubling the average production length of approximately 500 m previously used in Korea. The technology eliminates the need for intermediate cable joints, allowing a single cable to cover the entire grid section. That capability reduces manufacturing and construction costs, shortens construction timelines and enhances efficiency as well as minimizes the risk of faults, thereby improving the reliability of power supply.

“KOEN adopted this method to catch up with advanced overseas technologies and implement cutting-edge infrastructure domestically,” the release said. Taihan, based in South Korea, will also transport the 345 kV extra high-voltage cables and cable accessories, as well as provide cable installation and electrical construction. The company noted that it had successfully constructed a 400 kV underground power grid, Singapore’s highest voltage level, using cables with lengths of approximately 1.9 km.

In other news, Taihan announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Top-Tier Hyosung Group​ for “technical cooperation in the power industry and discovery of new business models.”

A press release said that Taihan will collaborate on the joint development and commercialization of eco-friendly new materials with Hyosung Chemical​. The plan involves developing eco-friendly polypropylene (PP) material, a next-generation cable insulation material, to achieve localization and boost their competitive edge in the global arena. That use enables a simpler cable production process than those made with traditional XLPE-insulation, resulting in cables with effective power transmission that are suitable for HVDC, a key facility for efficient long-distance transmission. Being a thermoplastic resin, the polypropylene cables are recyclable post-use and have minimal CO2 emissions during the production process, a plus in advanced markets like Europe, where carbon neutrality standards are stringent.

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Distributor Wire and Cable acquisition by equity firm Crossplane Capital completed

Dallas-based private equity firm Crossplane Capital has completed the acquisition of Distributor Wire and Cable (DWC), a distributor of specialty wire and cable products, for an undisclosed price.

A press release said that the company, founded in 2008 in Denver, Colorado, operates from its five warehouse locations nationwide to supply end users across the industrial, commercial, residential and utility markets. “Since founding DWC, we have focused on building a culture of growth and collaboration, and (this partnership) will help us continue that legacy,” said DWC Founder Bryce Huett.

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Last modified on January 2, 2025

LS Cable reports another big cable order

LS Cable & System (LS C&S) has signed a significant contract with TenneT Offshore, the German subsidiary of the Dutch state-owned power company TenneT, for an offshore wind farm project.

A press release said that the contract—valued at 907.3 billion won (approximately $700 million)—is for the TenneT Offshore’s LanWin4 2 GW project. LS C&S will supply ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) 525 kV submarine and underground cables as well as provide necessary accessories, perform electrical connection work and conduct on-site testing to ensure the project’s success. The contract will see cable supplied through 2031.

The contract continues LS C&S’s established relationship with TenneT. It had previously been chosen to supply cable for projects that include offshore wind farms in the North Sea of Europe, and others, that were valued significantly more than the latest one.

TenneT, a prominent European electricity transmission system operator, is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands and Germany.

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Following acquisition of EWP assets, Insteel will close 1 plant, transfer its work

Insteel Industries, which recently acquired the assets of Engineered Wire Products (EWP), has closed the EWP plant in Warren, Ohio, and will move production there to other Insteel plants.

A press release said that the Warren plant was part of the company’s recent $70 million asset transaction with EWC through its subsidiary, Insteel Wire Products Co. EWC operates wire drawing, welding and mesh fabrication facilities in upper Sandusky and Warren, Ohio.

The plan is to close the Warren facility, where work has ceased and some 35 positions were eliminated. Production there will be shifted to other Insteel plants. “Given the low capacity utilization levels at our Warren facility and the dim prospects for improvement, we believe this action is essential to reducing our operating costs and strengthening our competitive position” said Insteel CEO President and CEO H. Woltz III. Insteel is the nation’s largest manufacturer of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. See p. 47 for more details about the company.

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Nexans to supply cable to ScottishPower Renewables for an offshore wind farm

Nexans has won a contract from ScottishPower Renewables, part of the Iberdrola Group, to supply the export cable for East Anglia Two (EA2), a 960 MW offshore wind farm in the U.K.

A press release said that Nexans will supply and install approximately 100 km of 275 kV high-voltage subsea export cables and 55 kms of onshore cables. Production of the cable will be done at Nexan plants in Alden, Norway, and Charleroi, Belgium.

Installation work is scheduled to take place in 2027 and 2028, with the project set for completion by the end of 2028. The windfarm is located in the southern North Sea, some 33 km from the Suffolk coast, at its nearest point off Southwold. There are multiple projects involved, including one Nexans also provided the cable for. East Anglia Two, part of the East Anglia Hub, was approved in March 2022 jointly with East Anglia One North. It will host as many as 75 wind turbines. There is also an East Anglia Three. Nexans provided cable for a prior project.

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Hanwha creates wire and cable division to be led by former Prysmian executive

South Korea’s Hanwha Solutions has established a Wire & Cable (W&C) Division, a strategic move aimed at producing high value-added products that will compete in a field that has significant growth potential.

Per multiple media reports, Hanwha Solutions announced that the new division was created by separating its organization from the Polyolefin (PO) Division within Hanwha Solutions’ Chemical Division, which now consists of three divisions: PO, Chemical Engineering (PVC) and W&C.

The company named Carlo Scarlata, former CCO of Prysmian, to lead the new W&C Division. He has more than 20 years of experience in sales and business development with Prysmian. His background includes managing businesses in Europe, U.S., Brazil, China and Australia, and he is expected to play a crucial role in expanding Hanwha Solutions’ presence in overseas markets. 

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Alcatel to supply the subsea cable for a Caribbean project that will link 4 countries

Alcatel Submarine Networks was chosen to supply the Caribbean European Territories Cable project (CELIA) that will connect Aruba, Martinique, Antigua, Puerto Rico and Boca Raton in Florida over a stretch of 3,700 km.

Per multiple news reports, the CELIA cable—to have an estimated capacity of 170 Tbps across eight fiber pairs, with a minimum of 22 Tbps per pair—will support continuous traffic growth in the Caribbean. The project is scheduled to go live in the third quarter of 2027.

Per an EU project description, the CELIA CETC segment of CELIA has two European Partners: ORANGE as French operator and SETAR as a Dutch operator. It will improve the connectivity conditions of two French and Dutch Caribbean islands, Martinique and Aruba respectively. The new cable will cover approximately 1,888 km. The cities where the landing stations will be installed are Le Lamentin (Martinique, France) and Baby Beach (Aruba, The Netherlands).

Existing cables that are located in the Caribbean region include the Eastern Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), ECLink, and the Suriname-Guyana Submarine Cable System (SG-SCS).

The project will be able to sustain up to at least year 2050 the traffic growth for all citizens of Aruba and French Caribbean territories with almost unlimited bandwidth, low latency and high resilience. This new infrastructure will enhance their connectivity to the rest of the world and they will be equally connected compared to continental users from a digital point of view.

“The CELIA project represents a significant advancement in connectivity and will improve

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JDR lands key U.S. wind project contract

JDR Cable Systems (JDR), part of Poland’s TFKable Group, has been awarded a significant contract by DEME Offshore to support Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.

A press release, which did not cite the value of the contract for the project that includes 176 wind turbines and three offshore substations, calls for JDR to provide the  termination, testing and commissioning of all the 66 kV subsea interarray cables. The work will start in 2025 and continue into 2026, across three stages.

During installation, JDR teams will winch and pull the cables from the seabed to the turbines, then fit electrical connectors and perform termination testing to ensure secure connections. For testing and commissioning, high voltage tests and final inspections will then be done to confirm the integrity of the cables.

The CVOW project, with an expected capacity of 2.6 gigawatts, was described as becoming the largest offshore wind farm in the U.S., capable of powering approximately 660,000 homes. As part of the agreement, JDR will partner with local stakeholders to support development of the local supply chain and workforce to meet the challenges of the growing offshore wind industry.

“The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project represents a major step forward in the U.S.’s renewable energy strategy, and we are proud to be a part of it,” said JDR Head of Services Brian Davis. “This contract underscores our end-to-end service for offshore wind projects.”

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