Global Marine and Orange Marine Partnered on Subsea ROV
The Alpha remotely operated vehicle will support submarine cable maintenance operations starting in late 2029.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Robotics
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Global Marine and Orange Marine have partnered to supply a new Alpha remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for an upcoming cable maintenance vessel. The vessel is currently under construction at the Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka.
Why it matters
This partnership addresses the increasing technical requirements for subsea power and telecommunications cable maintenance at depth. The equipment is designed to enhance burial and protection capabilities for critical underwater infrastructure.
The Alpha ROV features 450 kW of installed power, with 300 kW specifically dedicated to jetting, and supports operations at depths of up to 3,000 meters. The unit is designed for cable burial operations reaching depths of 3 meters.
The players
Global Marine
A provider of subsea infrastructure solutions that installs and maintains telecommunications and power cable networks.
Orange Marine
A subsidiary of Orange that designs, builds, and operates specialized subsea vessels and robotic equipment for cable maintenance.
Colombo Dockyard
A Sri Lankan shipbuilder and repair facility responsible for the construction of the new maintenance vessel.
The details
The Alpha ROV, designed and manufactured by Orange Marine, utilizes a tracked configuration that can be adapted into a free-swimming mode depending on the seabed environment. Jetting is a subsea process that uses high-pressure water to cut a trench into the seafloor, allowing the ROV to bury cables for protection against external damage. The vehicle will undergo customization to meet the specific operational requirements of Global Marine’s new cable maintenance vessel.
Timeline
Q4 2029: Scheduled delivery of the new cable maintenance vessel.
The Tech Race
This collaboration aligns with the ongoing industry shift toward more powerful ROVs capable of operating at greater depths and in varied seafloor conditions. The development reflects a broader competitive effort to ensure consistent uptime for transoceanic data and power transmission infrastructure.
The deployment of the Alpha ROV will modernize the maintenance workflow for operators managing critical subsea power and data connections. While the technology is currently in the construction phase, it is expected to reach operational status upon the vessel's delivery in late 2029.
The takeaway
The partnership highlights the critical reliance on high-power robotics to maintain the integrity of global subsea cable networks. Watch for the scheduled vessel delivery in Q4 2029 to see how these ROV capabilities perform in actual field operations.
Further reading
For more developments in undersea systems, explore our coverage of Robotics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Riviera.
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