Over the course of July 2023 Henry P. Lading and its crew picked up a new cable section at TKF factory in the Netherlands, transported it to Iceland, installed it on the south coast of Iceland and connected it to the existing cable towards Heimaey Island (the biggest of the Westman Islands).
In doing so, Henry P. Lading and its crew continued a long-lasting special relationship between the vessel and these beautiful islands which started back in 1968. Back then the vessel and its crew brought a continuous flow of freshwater to the island for the first time.
Being formed by volcanic activities 11.000 years ago, the island doesn’t hold any groundwater reservoir and the rainwater collected at the island quickly got polluted with phosphorus. Hence, the arrival of freshwater had a huge impact on the development of the island and continue to this day to be essential to the fishing industry and the people living on the island.
The first installation back in 1968 was also the first ever subsea armored flexible pipe ever produced, thus also spawning of a new industry with NKT Flexible (now NOV Flexible). The trip to Westman Islands in 1968 was also Henry P. Ladings maiden trip across the Atlantic, and the good vessel and its many crews have since visited five out of seven continents, only missing Antarctica and Oceania.
Henry P. Lading and its shifting crews holds a track record covering a longer period than any other cable installation vessel in the world after having been in operation for 59 consecutive years. This includes 8 major installation works between Vestmanna and the South coast of Iceland:
- 2023 Replacement of shore landing on the south coast of Iceland and connection to transmission power cable going to Westmann Islands
- 2008 Repair of transmission power cable going to Westmann Islands
- 2008 Installation of a third armored-flexible-pipe from Heimaey to the south cost of Iceland (12" flexible pipe 12,500)
- 1989 Repair of transmission power cable going to Westmann Islands
- 1973 Repair of the 7" flexible pipe to Westmann due to volcanic activity
- 1973 Repair of the 4" flexible pipe to Westmann due to volcanic activity
- 1971 Installation of a second armored-flexible-pipe from Heimaey to the south cost of Iceland (7" flexible pipe 9,650)
- 1968 Installation of the world’s first armored-flexible-pipe from Heimaey to the south cost of Iceland (4" flexible pipe length 13,850)
Although Henry P. Lading in all aspects is a truly unique vessel, the completion of all the projects in Iceland and elsewhere is first and foremost the result of great workmanship and dedication of the people involved. The DNA among the crew and back-office has always been to be innovative, flexible, and adaptive so the finish line is reached regardless of the challenges faced. The story of Henry P. Lading and its crew is hence a great testimony to the skills of Danish Seafarers and their ability to continuously develop, while building on the experience of present and past colleagues and their achievements.
