Orange Marine modernizes its fleet of cable ships to secure digital infrastructure in Europe, Africa and the Middle East

With these two new ships, the Orange group will have the most advanced and modern maintenance fleet in the world. In total, four ships will operate in the Atlantic, the English Channel, the North Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea, ensuring the continuity and security of essential submarine cable networks across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Additionally, the Group owns two ships specialized in cable laying and one reconnaissance ship (marine survey) through Orange Marine and its Italian subsidiary Elettra TLC.

Versatile ships for optimized cable maintenance and laying
These sister ships of the iconic Sophie Germain launched in 2023 will mainly be dedicated to submarine cable maintenance. They will also be capable of laying connecting segments up to 1,000 kilometers long.

These two new ships will replace the Léon Thévenin (1983, based in South Africa) and the Antonio Meucci (1987, based in Italy), currently responsible for cable maintenance in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Black Sea and Red Sea.

The construction of these new ships has been awarded to the Sri Lankan shipyard Colombo Dockyard, which has an established reputation for its expertise and has already delivered the Sophie Germain. This choice aligns with a logic of industrial excellence and international collaboration, while meeting the highest standards of the sector. Their delivery is expected in 2028 and 2029.

An innovative fleet with a reduced carbon footprint
These new ships will incorporate cutting-edge technologies to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by 20% compared to current vessels:

• A streamlined hull, optimized for repairs and reducing fuel consumption by 25%,
• A hybrid system combining diesel and electric power. Electricity can be produced onboard, and stored through backup batteries,
• Azipod main thrusters for increased maneuverability and reliability,
• The ability to connect to land-based electrical grids at port, thereby limiting the carbon footprint.

The ships will also be equipped with a remotely operated underwater robot (ROV) that is stored in an onboard hangar. The ROV, designed and manufactured by Orange Marine, will enable safe cutting, inspection and burial of cables.

For Didier Dillard, President of Orange Marine and Elettra Tlc: "The aging of the cable ship fleet is a major concern for all players in the submarine cable industry. Building these new ships will enable Orange Marine and Elettra to have the most modern fleet in the world, serving all our clients globally, with an optimized environmental footprint"

About Orange

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 40.3 billion euros in 2024 and 124,100 employees worldwide at 30 september 2025, including 68,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 310 million customers worldwide at 30 september 2025, including 270 million mobile customers and 23 million fixed broadband customers. These figures account for the deconsolidation of certain activities in Spain following the creation of MASORANGE. The Group is present in 26 countries (including non-consolidated countries).
Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange’s leadership in service quality.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA).
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