Inawgurat uffiċjalment in-Nexans Electra, il-bastiment li se jqiegħed it-tieni interconnector taħt il-baħar bejn Malta u Sqallija
Tragward ieħor importanti fit-twettiq ta’ dan il-proġett infrastrutturali strateġiku
Il-Ministru għall-Enerġija Miriam Dalli, attendiet għaċ-ċerimonja uffiċjali tat-tnedija tal-bastiment Nexans Electra fin-Norveġja. Dan il-bastiment speċjalizzat se jintuża biex iqiegħed it-tieni interconnector taħt il-baħar bejn Malta u l-Italja (IC2).
Għaċ-ċerimonja attendew ukoll rappreżentanti ta’ InterConnect Malta u Nexans.
Dan l-avveniment jimmarka stadju ieħor importanti fl-implimentazzjoni tal-proġett IC2, li se jkompli jsaħħaħ l-infrastruttura tal-enerġija ta’ Malta u jipprovdi aċċess addizzjonali man-netwerk Ewropew tal-elettriku.
“Il-proġett IC2 jibni fuq l-esperjenza miksuba mill-ewwel interkonnessjoni tal-elettriku bejn Malta u Sqallija, li daħlet fis-seħħ fl-2015 u kienet ukoll implimentata minn Nexans. Se tinżamm distanza sigura minn mal-interconnector eżistenti sabiex tissaħħaħ ir-reżiljenza tas-sistema u jitnaqqas ir-riskju ta’ ħsara fuq iż-żewġ cables f’daqqa. Permezz ta’ IC2 se tissaħħaħ b’mod sostanzjali s-sistema elettrika ta’ Malta billi jipprovdi kapaċità alternattiva, iżid l-istabbiltà tal-provvista u jaqdi l-ħtiġijiet tal-pajjiż għas-snin li ġejjin f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ domanda tal-elettriku. Dan il-proġett huwa parti essenzjali mill-istrateġija nazzjonali biex Malta tilħaq il-miri tagħha għall-2030 fil-qasam tal-enerġija u l-klima, kif ukoll l-għanijiet fit-tul tad-dekarbonizzazzjoni,” qalet il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Nexans, il-kumpanija responsabbli mill-manifattura, l-installazzjoni u l-protezzjoni tal-cable taħt il-baħar, lestiet il-produzzjoni u l-ittestjar ta’ mija u tliet (103) kilometri ta’ cable, li jinkludu madwar erba’ (4) kilometri ta’ cable bħala riżerva. Il-manifattura saret fil-faċilità ta’ Nexans f’Charleston, fl-Istati Uniti, u bdiet f’Awwissu tal-2025.
L-attività fuq il-baħar marbuta mat-tqegħid tal-cable mistennija tibda aktar tard din is-sena. Għal dan il-għan, wara li jgħabbi l-cable abbord, minn Charleston, in-Nexans Electra, se jibda l-vjaġġ lejn Malta għall-fażi tal-installazzjoni.
In-Nexans Electra huwa bastiment modern mgħammar bl-aktar teknoloġija avvanzata għall-ġarr, l-installazzjoni, il-protezzjoni u t-tiswija ta’ cables tal-elettriku taħt il-baħar. B’tul ta’ madwar 150 metru u mgħammar b’diversi turntables, il-bastiment għandu il-kapacità li jġorr u jqiegħed interconnectors twal f’operazzjoni waħda. Dan se jippermetti t-tieni interconnector, li jiżen aktar minn tmint elef (8000) tunnellata, ikun jista’ jinġarr fi vjaġġ wieħed.
Il-bastiment mgħammar b’sistema avvanzata sabiex ikun jista’ iżomm il-pożizzjoni tiegħu b’mod dinamiku u bi preċiżjoni għolja mingħajr il-ħtieġa ta’ ankri. Dan jiżgura li t-tqegħid ta’ IC2 ikun iktar preċiż anke f’kundizzjonijiet marittimi diffiċli u f’fond li jilħaq sa 160 metru tul ir-rotta.
Il-cable jikkonsisti f’żewġ tulijiet ewlenin li se jingħaqdu permezz ta’ ġonta waħda taħt il-baħar. Filwaqt li l-cable se jkun qed jitqiegħed f’qiegħ il-baħar ser ikun qed jiġi skavat gandott apposta fejn fl-istess waqt jitpoġġa u jindifen. F’żoni fejn ma jkunx possibbli li jsir gandott fil-qiegħ tal-baħar, il-kumpanija speċjalizzata Van Oord se tipprovdi protezzjoni addizzjonali permezz tat-tqegħid ta’ ġebel apposta illi jitpoġġa b’manjiera sabiex il-cable ikun protett xorta waħda.
Fost il-ħidmiet preparatorji li saru matul l-aħħar xhur kien hemm stħarriġ estensiv tar-rotta tal-IC2 u interventi biex jitneħħew oġġetti splussivi ta’ żmien il-gwerra, sabiex il-fażi tal-installazzjoni tkun tista’ tibda b’mod sigur.
Ix-xogħlijiet fuq l-art qed jimxu wkoll b’pass mgħaġġel. F’Malta tlestew madwar 97% tax-xogħlijiet marbuta mat-tqegħid tal-cable fit-trinek, filwaqt li għadhom għaddejjin ix-xogħlijiet tal-horizontal directional drilling (HDD) fil-Magħtab biex il-cable jgħaddi bejn l-art u l-baħar bl-inqas impatt ambjentali possibbli.
Fi Sqallija, ix-xogħlijiet ukoll qed javvanzaw b’mod kostanti, b’madwar 90% tat-trinek diġà lesti fejn tpoġġa madwar 65% tal-cable tul 21.7 kilometru ta’ rotta fuq l-art.
Il-proġett jaħseb ukoll għall-provvista u l-ħażna u ta’ cable addizzjonali fil-powerstation ta’ Delimara biex iservi ta’ riżerva. L-Inġinier Ismail D’Amato spjega: “Il-proġett tat-tieni interconnector jinkludi wkoll l-installazzjoni ta’ turntable apposta f’Delimara għall-ħażna tal-cable ta’ riżerva. Din hija miżura ta’ sinjifikat strateġika għax tiżgura li, jekk ikun hemm bżonn interventi jew tiswijiet fil-futur, il-cable meħtieġ ikun disponibbli minnufih. Dan inaqqas il-ħin tat-tiswija u jkompli jsaħħaħ ir-reżiljenza tas-sistema elettrika nazzjonali.”
Dan l-investiment ta’ €300 miljun ġie approvat għall-finanzjament mill-ERDF taħt il-prijorità “Promozzjoni tat-tranżizzjoni enerġetika nadifa u ġusta”, u jikkontribwixxi direttament għal sistemi enerġetiċi intelliġenti u stabbli. Il-proġett ġie rikonoxxut bħala “Operazzjoni ta’ Importanza Strateġika” fil-Programm 2021–2027. L-ammont tal-finanzjament Ewropew allokat hu ta’ €261 miljun.
Cable-laying vessel for Malta–Italy second interconnector officially launched
The launch of the maritime vessel Nexans Electra, together with progress achieved on IC2 to date, represents a further milestone in the delivery of this critical infrastructure project
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli participated in the official launch of the cable-laying vessel Nexans Electra in Norway, a key asset that will be deployed in the offshore installation of Malta’s second electricity interconnector (IC2) with Italy.
Also present for the inauguration were representatives from InterConnect Malta and Nexans.
The event marks an important milestone in the implementation of the IC2 project, which will further strengthen Malta’s energy infrastructure and its connection to the European electricity network.
“The IC2 project builds on the experience of the first Malta–Sicily interconnector, commissioned in 2015 and delivered by Nexans. The second interconnector will be routed at a safe distance from the existing cable to enhance resilience and reduce the risk of simultaneous disruption. Once operational, the project will significantly reinforce Malta’s electricity system by providing redundancy, improving reliability, and supporting long-term demand growth. It is a key component of Malta’s strategy to achieve its 2030 climate and energy targets and longer-term decarbonisation objectives,” Minister Miriam Dalli stated.
Nexans, the contractor responsible for the manufacture, installation, and protection of the subsea cable, has completed the production and testing of the full 103 km cable length, including approximately 4 kilometres of spare cable. Manufacturing was carried out at Nexans’ high-voltage subsea cable facility in Charleston, United States, with manufacturing works commencing in August 2025. The offshore laying is expected to take place later this year, with Nexans Electra scheduled to mobilise to Charleston to load the cable before proceeding to Malta for the installation works.
The Nexans Electra is a state-of-the-art DP3 cable-laying vessel designed for the transport, installation, protection, and repair of subsea power cables. Measuring approximately 150 metres in length and equipped with multiple turntables, the vessel can carry and lay long cable sections within a single campaign.
Its advanced dynamic positioning system allows the vessel to maintain precise positioning without anchors, supporting safe and accurate installation in challenging offshore conditions and at depths of up to 160 metres along the IC2 route. Its capacity enables the entire subsea cable, weighing over 8 million kilograms, to be transported in a single voyage. The cable will be laid in two main sections, connected by one offshore joint, with cable burial carried out alongside the laying operations. Where trenching is not possible, specialised contractor Van Oord will provide additional protection through rock installation.
Recent offshore preparatory works have included a comprehensive survey and clearance operation along the cable route, during which unexploded wartime objects were safely removed, paving the way for the installation phase.
Parallel works are also progressing onshore. In Malta, 97% of the trenching works have been completed and the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works at Magħtab are ongoing to facilitate the cable’s land–sea transition while minimising environmental impact. In Sicily, works are advancing steadily, with approximately 90% of trenching and 65% of cable-laying completed along the 21.7 km land route.
The project also considers the operational phase, with measures included for the procurement and storage of spare cable at the Delimara Power Station. Inġ. Ismail D’Amato stated that “the IC2 project also includes the installation of a dedicated turntable at Delimara for the storage of spare cable. This provision is strategically significant, as it ensures rapid availability of spare cable in the event of future repairs, reducing potential downtime and enhancing overall system resilience.”
This €300 million investment has been approved for ERDF funding under the priority “Promoting a clean and just energy transition” and contributes directly to smart and stable energy systems. The project has been recognised as an “Operation of Strategic Importance” in the 2021–2027 Programme, with €261 million allocated in European funding.
