The Netherlands Zeevonk project clearly demonstrates where value in the offshore wind supply chain is moving. In phase one alone, at 1GW scale, approximately 149km of 66kV internal grid cables are needed just to connect 69 turbines. As the number of generators increases and wind farms move further offshore, the role of cables and installation vessels becomes even more critical.
Cables determine project costs
Subsea cables are not simple wires. They move as a complete package: seabed surveys, laying and protection, connections, testing, and fault repair. This is why Boskalis secured an installation contract worth 50 million to 150 million euros at Zeevonk. Cable laying vessels in particular are specialized ships with limited supply, capable of affecting project schedules. In the European offshore wind market, integrated capability in cable production and offshore installation is becoming the competitive advantage in winning contracts.
South Korea enters turnkey competition
Korean companies are moving in the same direction. LS Cable (LS Cable & System) expanded its HVDC subsea cable production capacity more than fourfold through completion of five facilities in the East Sea, while LS Marine Solution is building a next-generation large-scale cable laying vessel with 13,000-ton cable capacity, targeted for delivery in 2028. The company plans to deploy this vessel in North American and European markets as well.
LS Marine Solution also secured a contract worth approximately 156.9 billion won for subsea cable installation work on the Sinan-Ui offshore wind project in September this year. Taihan (Taihan Cable & Solution) is pursuing a second factory targeting 2027 operation, capable of producing 640kV HVDC cables, following its first subsea cable factory in Dangjin, and is expanding its business scope from production to laying using Skandi Connector and Palos.
Exports must include vessels
Zeevonk's message to South Korea is clear. Selling subsea cables alone will not secure a leading position in Europe's large-scale offshore wind EPC market. A turnkey package bundling design, production, transport, laying, burial, and maintenance is required. An export strategy that combines the specialized shipbuilding capabilities of domestic shipyards with the HVDC technology of cable companies is also needed. By combining South Korea's strength as a shipbuilding powerhouse with the cable industry, markets can expand beyond European offshore wind to include inter-country HVDC interconnection networks.
Original Korean article: Energy Safety News
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
KWI developer profile — Hanwha Ocean
4 projects in Korea totalling 1,730 MW. Compiled from the KWI database. Not part of the source article.
Sinan Ui Offshore Wind — this article
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ChilHae 1 Offshore Wind
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ChilHae 2 Offshore Wind
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Boryeong Nokdo Offshore Wind
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Related coverage
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- Sinan-Ui offshore wind taps Vestas turbines despite domestic growth fund mandate — 2026-09-23
- KOMIPO launches Sinan-Ui 390MW offshore wind project toward 2040 CFE target — 2026-09-19
- LS Marine Solution secures Sinan Ui offshore wind subsea cable contract — 2026-09-18
Project data: KWI database — Electricity Business Licence records, EIA filings (ME2021C012, ME2026C003, ME2026C014), Electricity Regulatory Commission minutes, and pre-EBL permit filings.
