Responding to the surge in global subsea cable investment driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence, ABS published its Technical Standard for Subsea Power Cables during early March 2026.
To read the document online, click HERE.
To download the PDF, click HERE.
Subsea power cables are vital infrastructure for transmitting electrical power over long distances underwater, serving as key links between offshore units and onshore grids, and multiple offshore installations. These cables are used in a wide range of applications, including offshore wind farms, renewable energy systems (wave, tidal, solar PV), fixed and floating offshore units, interconnectors, and subsea power transmission networks.
Subsea power cable design, installation and operation pose unique challenges due to harsh marine environments, significant water depths and extended cable lengths. The new ABS standard provides a comprehensive set of requirements and specifications to help the offshore industry mitigate risk, maintain system integrity and enhance the resilience of subsea power transmission systems. These factors necessitate rigorous standards to achieve the safety, reliability, and longevity of the cable systems.
“As subsea power cables become more important for offshore assets, interconnectors and AI-driven data centers – forming the backbone of both the future energy landscape and the digital economy – ABS’ new standard provides the industry with a trusted benchmark to qualify and safeguard this rapidly expanding critical infrastructure,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
The standard outlines technical requirements and provides guidance to engineers, project managers and other stakeholders throughout the entire life cycle of these key assets, from concept design through operation and maintenance.
The requirements it specifies address key aspects of subsea power cable projects, including design, fabrication, transportation, installation, commissioning, testing, operation and maintenance. The intent of the standards is to assist the industry to mitigate risks, maintain system integrity, and enhance the overall resilience of subsea power transmission systems.
This ABS Technical Standards are intended as the minimum technical requirements for subsea power cable systems used in offshore applications across various project phases (design, fabrication, transportation, installation, commissioning, testing, operation, and maintenance). It also outlines minimum independent third-party (I3P) design review and inspection requirements for subsea power cable systems.
Download a copy of the ABS Technical Standard for Subsea Power Cables HERE.
ABS is a global leader in providing classification, certification and verification services for marine and offshore assets.
About Guice Offshore Subsea Cable Vessels
In the complex job of subsea cable laying, Guice Offshore multi-purpose vessels and mini supply vessels play key roles in the success of these highly technical marine operations, including assisting with pre-lay survey work, pre-lay grapnel run (PLGR) and route clearance, post-lay inspection and repair, decommissioning and recovery in accordance with major standards for a variety of industries, including telecommunications, oil and gas, and offshore wind.
With the Guice Offshore fleet ranging in size from 150 ft. to 280 ft., our dynamically positioned vessels are agile enough to navigate areas that larger vessels can’t.
