Posted on May 14, 2025
In an exclusive interview with Subsea Cables by Telecom Review, Royal IHC’s CEO, Derk te Bokkel, and Scott Mabin, Head of Sales for the UK, discussed the company’s strategic approach to supporting the evolving subsea cable industry. Royal IHC has been at the forefront of innovation in the subsea sector, providing specialized vessels and equipment for the laying, inspection, and repair of both fiber optic systems and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power cables.
As part of their vision for the future, Royal IHC is ramping up development of subsea crawler technology to enhance inspection and maintenance of subsea cables, addressing key challenges in nearshore environments and offering a cost-effective, efficient solution for cable burial and maintenance.
Royal IHC has repurposed its subsea mining crawler for mine countermeasures. Can you elaborate on how this same technology could be adapted to improve the inspection and maintenance of subsea communication and power cables?
Royal IHC originally developed its crawler technology for the cable burial market, with roots going back nearly 30 years. Over time, this evolved into subsea mining applications, and more recently, the crawler has been repurposed for mine countermeasures. By removing the mining equipment and integrating ELWAVE’s sensor suite, the system is now being tested to detect non-metallic objects, a key requirement in mine detection. While this work is ongoing, the technology also presents potential for future cable detection capabilities.
In terms of subsea cable inspection and maintenance, the crawler’s adaptability makes it a strong candidate, especially in shallow waters where traditional free-flying remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) face challenges due to strong currents and limited water depth. Royal IHC’s Hi-Traq 4-tracked system, designed for stability in these conditions, can reduce the reliance on human divers, enhance safety, and improve inspection efficiency nearshore. This opens new opportunities for more reliable and cost-effective cable maintenance in environments where conventional methods fall short.
How is Royal IHC preparing its crawler technology to support the scalability and automation needs of global subsea cable networks? Is Royal IHC considering future collaborations with subsea telecom or power companies?
Royal IHC sees subsea telecom as a growing market, largely due to the aging fleet of cable-laying vessels and the resulting need for reinvestment. The company is already active in this space, having signed an agreement with OMS to build at least one cable-laying vessel, with more expected. This not only includes the vessel itself but also the delivery of cable-laying equipment and subsea trenching and burial systems. While the cable-laying market is global, there is significant momentum in Southeast Asia, where Royal IHC is already engaging with regional clients.
To meet the evolving demands of subsea cable networks, Royal IHC’s crawler technology is designed with scalability and modularity at its core.
The latest generation of trenching vehicles can be upgraded over time to meet changing project requirements, such as deeper burial depths or expanded power capacity, without needing a full system replacement. This flexibility is vital as cable routes become more congested and technical demands increase. The company is also in ongoing discussions with subsea telecom and power companies, with a strong focus on supporting future scalability and automation across global subsea infrastructure.
How is Royal IHC positioning its technology to support multi-sector needs, from fiber optics to HVDC power cables?
Royal IHC is strategically positioning its technology to address the diverse and evolving needs of subsea cable markets, ranging from fiber optic systems to HVDC power cables. While the company operates across all three major segments—high-voltage transmission, inter-array, and optical cables—its current focus leans toward optical and inter-array cables, where differentiation and added value are most achievable. Drawing on three decades of experience, Royal IHC emphasizes modularity, designing its cable-laying and trenching equipment for quick adaptation across project types. This plug-and-play approach enables operators to use the same vessel setup for both power and telecom cables with minimal reconfiguration.
To meet the rising demand for HVDC and fiber optic applications, Royal IHC is advancing its equipment to match new technical standards. A new-generation trenching vehicle, scheduled for 2027 delivery, will support HVDC bundles with upgraded product guidance systems, scalable power, and enhanced cutting tools capable of trenching up to 5m deep trenches, 700mm wide. In the fiber optic segment, the company is upgrading its Sea Stallion FiberPro plough to deliver 100 tons of towing force, aligning with the industry’s shift toward mandatory three-meter burial depths. Through these innovations,
Royal IHC is future proofing its technology to serve a multi-sector market, enabling clients to maximize equipment utility while adapting to complex and changing subsea cable demands.
How does Royal IHC envision the role of autonomous or semi-autonomous subsea vehicles in future smart cable networks, and what part does your crawler play in that roadmap?
Royal IHC envisions a strong and evolving role in subsea operations, particularly with semi-autonomous systems for cable trenching. While full autonomy in cable burial tasks is not yet in demand, the company is already integrating semi-autonomous features into its subsea crawlers. These vehicles can autonomously follow cable paths and adapt to seabed conditions, but operators still maintain control over key functions, such as trenching depth and speed.
The company also sees a growing role for fully autonomous systems in survey operations within smart cable networks, where they can perform inspections and gather environmental data without human intervention. Royal IHC’s modular, scalable approach to automation is positioning its technology to evolve with the market, supporting both current needs and future demands for more autonomy in subsea operations.
Royal IHC expects to play a significant role in the subsea cable and vehicle markets over the next five to ten years. The company’s patented four-track, high-traction technology is set to drive growth, especially as industry awareness of its capabilities increases. With a deep engineering legacy and a strong corporate scale, Royal IHC is uniquely positioned to meet the evolving demands for more complex subsea solutions. As the subsea and cable industries adapt to global security and infrastructure needs, Royal IHC is well-prepared to support the next global investment cycle, with expanding opportunities in both cable-laying vessels and subsea vehicles.
