Samoa welcomed Cable Ship ‘Reliance’ (C.S. Reliance) yesterday, signaling a step closer to the grand opening of the Samoa Marine Depot.

The Ship Master, Captain David Ledoux and his crew of 50, were welcomed with a cultural performance by the Vaimoso Boys Brigade and the dance group from Samoa Traditional Resort at Matautu.

The welcoming party included the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i, U.S. Embassy Charge d’affairs Tony Greubel and members of the Samoa Submarine Cable Company.

The company, T.E. Connectivity from America, secured a five-year contract to do cable maintenance and construction work in the Asia Pacific region, including Samoa. 

It is a specifically designed and constructed vessel for cable maintenance and construction, making her one of the most versatile cable ships in the industry.

At this time, the C.S. Reliance is berthed in New Caledonia but will move into Apia’s port at the end of the year where it will be based over the next five years. Samoa’s central position in the South Pacific makes it the ideal location while it caters to all the Pacific Islands. 

The Samoa Submarine Cable Company Director (on behalf of Chairman Pauli Prince Suhren), Su’a Justina Sa’u Lam told the Samoa Observer that there are many benefits to having the C.S. Reliance based in Samoa, including the economic boost to the Samoa Port Authority as well as to the local hospitality and tourism industry.

 “There is some talk about it because the plan is that after the initial five years, they can also sign on for another five years,” said Su’a. 

“It’s all part of the agreements signed between our government and the company T.E. Connectivity  (T.E.C.) that the experience and knowledge of repairing cables will be shared with our people. We may also look at them employing our seaman.”

Following the ceremony, Captain David Ledoux took invited guests through a tour of the ship.

The C.S. Reliance will be berthed in Apia Port in the lead up to the grand opening of the Samoa Marine Depot at the end of this month where submarine cable companies from around the Asia Pacific Region will attend.

The 50-member crew comprises experienced merchant mariners, submersible engineers, and cable operations staff. The C.S. Reliance is 140 meters in length and the dynamically positioned vessel is capable of sustained cable operations in harsh weather. 

In addition to typical cable construction and maintenance activities, these ships provide excellent platforms for trenching, mattressing, and salvage operations. TE SubCom (SubCom), a TE Connectivity Ltd. company, is an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology and marine services, and a leading global supplier for today’s undersea communications requirements. As a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry’s most reliable fiber optic cable systems.