OMS Group starts building CS Resilience cable-laying ship

OMS Group has begun construction of CS Resilience, the third vessel in its GREAT-Class fleet, with steel cutting at the CRIST shipyard in Gdynia, Poland.

The vessel is one of two next-generation cable-laying ships being built through OMS Group's partnership with Ulstein. It will join CS Genesis and CS Triumph in the group's latest fleet programme, while CS Alliance forms part of its wider investment in new ships.

The ceremony marks the shift from design to production for CS Resilience. The vessel is intended to support demand for submarine telecommunications infrastructure as network operators expand international and regional links.

Malaysia-based OMS Group provides marine services for submarine cable installation and maintenance, as well as managed interconnection services on land. It has five active cable vessels in service, with four more under construction.

CS Resilience is scheduled to enter service in 2028. It has been designed with Ulstein's X-BOW hull form and variable speed generator technology to improve seakeeping, fuel efficiency and emissions performance.

Datuk Lim Soon Foo, Founder and Chairman of OMS Group, said the project was significant for the group's long-term fleet plans.

"The first steel cut of CS Resilience represents another significant milestone in our long-term vision to build one of the world's most capable and sustainable cable-laying fleets. Our decision to partner with ULSTEIN was driven by more than its proven shipbuilding expertise. We sought a partner that shares our commitment to innovation, quality, operational excellence and sustainability. ULSTEIN's strong track record in advanced vessel design, combined with its collaborative approach and deep understanding of complex offshore operations, gives us confidence that together we are building vessels that will serve the evolving needs of the global submarine telecommunications industry for decades to come," said Datuk Lim Soon Foo, Founder and Chairman of OMS Group.

Fleet build-out

OMS Group announced its partnership with Ulstein earlier this year to design and build two cable-laying vessels. The addition of CS Resilience extends a fleet renewal and expansion plan that it describes as its largest investment in ships to date.

The group is positioning that investment around growth in global data traffic and demand for more resilient communications links. Subsea cable operators and contractors have been adding installation and maintenance capacity as technology companies, telecoms groups and governments support new routes and landing points.

Ronnie Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer of OMS Group, outlined the technical design choices behind the vessel.

"CS Resilience embodies the next generation of cable-laying vessels through the integration of ULSTEIN's proven design philosophy and advanced technologies. The ULSTEIN X-BOW(r) significantly enhances seakeeping and operational stability, enabling safer and more efficient operations in challenging sea conditions, while the ULSTEIN POWER Variable Speed Generator technology optimises energy consumption and reduces emissions. Together, these innovations will enhance installation performance, improve operational reliability and support our commitment to delivering more sustainable subsea infrastructure solutions for customers worldwide," said Ronnie Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer of OMS Group.

Name and role

The vessel's name was chosen to reflect the demands of the communications infrastructure market it serves. Cable-laying ships install fibre-optic systems across deep and shallow waters and can also support repair and maintenance work on existing networks.

OMS Group's telecommunications division covers installation support, shore-end work, engineering, project management, permitting and subsea surveys. Its LitUp Network division provides cable landing station, network backhaul, data centre connectivity and fibre services.

Emmanuel Delanoue, Deputy Group CEO and CEO of the Telecommunications Division at OMS Group, linked the vessel's name to the company's role in network infrastructure.

"The name 'Resilience' reflects OMS Group's ability to adapt, innovate and remain steadfast in supporting the world's critical communications infrastructure, even in the most challenging environments. CS Resilience has been designed to meet the evolving technical requirements of today's submarine telecommunications industry. By integrating advanced vessel design with proven operational technologies, the vessel will deliver greater installation efficiency, enhanced reliability and improved environmental performance, further strengthening OMS Group's capability to provide end-to-end subsea infrastructure solutions," said Emmanuel Delanoue, Deputy Group CEO and CEO of the Telecommunications Division at OMS Group.

Construction at CRIST brings together OMS Group as vessel owner, Ulstein as design partner and the Polish yard as builder as the group expands its fleet for the submarine cable market.