LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with British marine engineering company Balmoral Comtec for collaboration on a floating offshore wind power project.

A press release said that Balmoral Comtec is an energy company “with the world’s best technology in building cable protection systems, buoyancy solutions, and submarine infrastructure for the offshore wind power and marine energy industries.”

LS Cable & System notes that it is the first South Korean company to develop a dynamic cable for floating offshore wind power that operates stably even in harsh marine environments. “Under this partnership, we aim to collaborate with Balmoral Comtec to build a safe operation system for floating offshore wind power cables, optimized for extreme marine conditions.”

LS Marine Solutions Co. will support the collaboration by enhancing the installation and operational efficiency of the cables and ensuring stable maintenance. “While the floating offshore wind projects currently account for only about 1% of the market, it is expected to grow rapidly,” the release said. “We will lead the market by driving continuous technology advancements and global cooperation.”

The Lake Tanganyika Submarine Fiber Cable Project, led by BCS Group, has been completed, marking a major milestone in Africa’s digital infrastructure.

Per media reports, the Lake Tanganyika Submarine Fiber Cable Project, led by BCS Group, has been completed, marking a major milestone in Africa’s digital infrastructure. Spanning 400 km and reaching depths of 800 to 1,300 meters, this installation was described as the deepest inland undersea fiber optic cable globally. The project—developed in partnership with major telecom operators, including Airtel—aims to connect Northern and Southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and potentially expand to Tanzania and Burundi.

The BCS Group noted that it has previously had successful submarine installations in Lake Albert (2018-2019) and the Congo River (2022), reinforcing its expertise in challenging underwater fiber deployments. BCS Group currently is operating under licenses in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Angola.

A BCS Group spokesman told WJI that the cable had been supplied by Hengtong, and that it was “95% single armored and 5% double armored cable.” At its website, Hengtong notes that it is the largest optical fiber and power cable manufacturer in China, and one of the world’s top three optical fiber communication enterprises. Also, that it accounts for approximately 25% of the Chinese market share and 15% of the international market share.

 Hellenic Cables has been awarded a U.S. contract for the Silver Run Expansion Project that calls for the addition of new submarine cables adjacent to existing cables currently in service beneath the Delaware River.

A press release said that the project includes the supply of 21 km of single-core, AC high-voltage 230 kV submarine XLPE insulated power cables. The submarine cables will be manufactured at Hellenic Cables’ plant in Corinth, Greece. Manufacturing is set to be completed in the first half of 2026. The cables will form part of a critical power transmission line between New Jersey and Delaware across the Delaware River.

The additional cables will enable the transmission line between the Silver Run substation in Delaware and the Hope Creek substation in New Jersey to accommodate additional electrical flows. New transition structures will be installed at the termination points of the new submarine cable to connect the new cable to the existing overhead transmission line. Equipment at Silver Run substation will also be upgraded as required to serve the additional line capacity.

The project is owned by Silver Run Electric LLC, an affiliate of LS Power, a leading development, investment, and operating company focused on the North American power and energy infrastructure sector, and its wholly owned subsidiary, LS Power Grid, a national electric transmission system developer, owner, and operator.

The SMS Group announced that it has received an order from Conticon—a joint venture between Grupo Condumex and Xignux, a manufacturer of electrolytic tough pitch (ETP) copper rod—for a state-of-the-art CONTIROD® line (pictured) in North America.

A press release said that the order from Conticon calls for the SMS Group to supply and commission the CONTIROD line at its plant in Celaya-Villagrán, Mexico. The new line will expand capacity there by up to 320 thousand tons of ETP copper rod per year. The line is designed to reduce electrical energy consumption by 55% and natural gas by 30%. The project is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.

“This strategic investment in the combined CONTIROD casting and rolling process addresses the growing demand for high-quality copper rod for the automotive and telecommunications industries in the region,” the release said. The new line will boost the capacity of the existing SMS Group CONTIROD plant originally installed in 1984.

SMS will provide a complete CONTIROD line that will cover every stage of production, including the charging device, furnace plant, casting machine, rolling plant, and cooling line, as well as the coil forming and handling systems. The CONTIROD CR3700 line has a capacity of 48 tons per hour, and the increased production capacity will enable Condumex to better serve its own group, investment partners, and the export market, effectively addressing the increasing demand for copper wire rod.

SMS and Grupo Condumex share a long-standing relationship, dating back to the installation of the first line in 1984. Over the years, SMS has provided spare parts and implemented upgrades, ensuring the plant’s continued operation and efficiency. The new line is also equipped with SMS-Metrics, a digitalization tool designed for real-time recording, storage, and evaluation of machine data, thereby improving operational efficiency.