A RAPID-response dive team has performed emergency husbandry on Ile d’Yeu one of the world’s largest cable-laying vessels, during a critical stop at Outer Harbour, South Australia.
The 147-metre vessel is currently installing the SMAP cable system — a 5000-kilometre digital link connecting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth as part of the rollout of Australia’s first zero-carbon subsea data cable.
East West Dive & Salvage (EWDS) was called in by Gulf Agency Inc. to perform the emergency works including high-level repairs to the starboard propulsion system, and valve blanking to two discharge ports.
A post on LinkedIn said the works were completed safely and efficiently, allowing Ile d’Yeu to depart on schedule and continue its cable-laying mission.
“This remarkable vessel is capable of carrying three 3000-kilometre cable reels — over 9,000 kilometres in total,” said EWDS Business Development Manager Roland Cobban. “We’re proud to support world-class engineering with precision and speed.”
The operation was supported by Flinders Port Holdings, which shared drone footage of the vessel alongside Berth 1. EWDS’s own DSV Triple X was also on site, with flag Alpha raised during the dive.
EWDS credited its global equipment partners — including American Diving Supply, Kirby Morgan, and UAM TEC — for enabling safe and effective delivery of the works.
Ile d’Yeu, operated by Alcatel Submarine Networks is purpose-built for long-haul deployments, equipped with a 35-tonne seabed plough for burying cable deep beneath the ocean floor, more than 8500 tonnes of cable-loading capacity, and advanced dynamic positioning systems for precision placement.
The $400 million SMAP Cable Mission was developed by SUBCO, an Australian digital infrastructure company.
It’s designed to deliver 400 terabits per second via a 16-fiber pair, fully armoured cable, making it one of the most advanced systems ever deployed on Australian shores.
The cable will support data-intensive industries like defence, AI, space, and advanced manufacturing, while also enabling low-latency connectivity across the continent.
Ile d’Yeu arrived at Port Adelaide on 22 September to begin construction on the Adelaide leg of the SMAP cable.
This follows a successful landing in Perth in July, and marks a major step toward connecting South Australia to global digital markets3.
Premier Peter Malinauskas and SUBCO CEO Bevan Slattery hailed the arrival as a “landmark moment” for the state’s digital future.