This morning at 8:08 am, the Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) was landed at the Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Ngeremlengui. The West Passage has been closed to shipping for several days now, since the start of operations. It will remain closed until cable lay operations are completed.

I don’t have much time, and will report more fully later.

The Strider arrived at first light. As soon as it had reached station for the shore end lay, work, dive and guard boats mobilised.

In the foreground is one of the steel articulated pipes that will protect the double armoured PLSE in the shallower water out from the bulkhead. It will take a while to install the articulated pipe, there were several of these large crates on the dock.

Below, the first buoy (the white one leaning against the rock wall) has been cut from the cable, which has just reached the beach bulkhead. The big digger, holding a roller, is going to be a temporary anchor point, until the BMH anchor is installed with the cable secured.

On shore, 120 metres of cable were hauled and coiled in a big figure 8, prior to the final haul, at low tension, through the ducts to the Beach Man-Hole (BMH).

Once the 120 metres of cable was ashore, the buoys were cut, with the cable secured to the temporary anchor (the big digger), and Strider started laying cable out through the passage.

This afternoon, the cable was hauled through armoured ducts to the BMH.

Later tonight, I expect Strider will complete the lay. The PLSE will be tested, anchored to the BMH and await the next stage of the project.

More later! This is a big day for Republic of Palau, the first international fibre optic submarine cable to be landed here. In six months, we will be in service!