By Natalie Bannerman

The subsidiary of Orange Marine, Elettra, has been selected by Infratel Italia to supply and install a new subsea cable that will connect 21 Italian islands.

This project, known as Piano Isole Minori (minor islands plan) is forms part of the wider Strategia Italia 2026 plan.

Spanning 860km and delivering 21 links, the system represents an investment of €45.6 million (US$48.9 million).

“We are very honoured to have been chosen by Infratel Italia for this special project, that will contribute to strengthen the economy of 21 Italian islands and improve the daily life of their inhabitants,” said president of Elettra Tlc SpA, Didier Dillard.

“Elettra Tlc is one of the few companies in the world capable to deploy or repair submarine cables in all oceans and seas, and everyone within the company is proud and happy to use his or her skills this time for our home country, in places that will really benefit from them.”

The marine survey for the project will be carried this year by the Elettra’s survey vessel Urbano Monti, with marine installation due to take place in 2023 carried out by the Elettra’s main lay vessel C/S Teliri.

All cable spare parts to be used for the maintenance of these cable segments will be stored in Elettra’s Cable Depot of Catania, base port of the Elettra’s maintenance vessel C/S Antonio Meucci.

The news follows the announcement in 2021, that will see IslaLink and Elettra construct the new IONIAN subsea cable.

Connecting Crotone, Italy, with Preveza, Greece, the IONIAN subsea cable will be complemented by two terrestrial fibre rings connecting the system to the cities of Milan and Rome in Italy and Athens and Thessaloniki in Greece.