Text: J. Braker |At Damen Shipyards Den Helder, a special project is currently being carried out. The Layla cargo ship is being converted into a cable ship. In Mertech Marine's charter, she will soon be using old communication cables from sea fishing. The almost 66 meters long and 11 meters wide Layla is a striking appearance on the quayside of the Damenyard in the Koopvaardersbinnenhaven. The former cargo ship was launched at Barkmeijer Stroobos in 1975 and was undergoing a refit in 2008. This included a new Caterpillar 3512 main engine. The commercial and technical management of the vessel is owned by Rederij Wind BV from Alkmaar, known as the offshore cable industry service provider. This work is carried out with Mertech Marine from South Africa, Cape Town. Three freight ships were available for this, all built at Barkmeijer Stroobos in the 70s. In addition to the Layla, this is the Lida (1974) and Anniek (1978) (NB, ANIEK, IMO 7727073). The Lida has already been converted to provide old communication cables from the sea and now it's the turn to the Layla. A major task currently underway is the installation of a bow roll over which the cable is being picked up. Approximately 1500 tonnes of cable can be stored in the ship's compartment. According to a spokeswoman for Rederij Wind, this corresponds to about 1,000 to 1,100 kilometers of cable. Unlike the Lida, Layla's bow roll is sunk in the front of the fork. At the end of this month, the conversion must be completed. The Layla then starts to remove a cable from the Atlantic Ocean and a cable from the Mediterranean Sea, between Spain and Italy. With the third ship, the Anniek, which could possibly be used for this work, there is still a risk of loads. (Source: Schuttevaer / PAS / LK, 6-2017).