Speakers confirmed for Global Underwater Hub’s Cables 2025 conference

Global Underwater Hub’s annual subsea cables focused conference returns later this month with a strong line-up of speakers confirmed for the one-day event in Blyth.

Cables 2025, organised by Global Underwater Hub (GUH) in partnership with RenewableUK, will bring together stakeholders from across the subsea cables and offshore renewables sectors, and the wider underwater industry, to drive discussion on what is a core aspect of offshore renewable energy development.

The conference comes at a time when submissions for the UK Government’s latest annual allocation for offshore wind licenses (AR7) are being assessed and reports warn that the country may fall short of its target to have 43GW of offshore wind capacity by the end of the decade.

It is not just in the UK where increases in offshore wind generating capacity are planned.  Globally, over $800billion of investment in offshore wind farms is anticipated by 2030, with hundreds of thousands of kilometres of subsea export and inter-array cables required to be financed, manufactured, installed and maintained in order to bring the generated power ashore.

Taking place on Wednesday, 24 September at the Energy Central Campus in Blyth, Northumberland, Cables 2025 will hear from speakers across the subsea cable supply chain, including cable manufacturers, operators, developers, ports and engineering specialists.  Announcements of additional speakers are also expected in the coming week.

 

 

Four key themes will be explored during the conference, with sessions centred around big investment and infrastructure; testing, handling and installation; operations and maintenance; and future innovation.  The event will also feature an afternoon workshop that will allow delegates the opportunity to discuss and share differing perspectives on the factors critical to subsea cables.

Opening Cables 2025 will be an address from Rachel Nicholls-Lee, naval architect technical authority with Flotation Energy.  She will offer a wind farm developer’s viewpoint on the requirements and challenges around subsea cables in bringing offshore wind developments on stream.

Providing insight on day’s first session, big investment and infrastructure chaired by Ajai Ahluwalia of RenewableUK, will be James Young from JDR Cable Systems and Alasdair Kerr of Port of Blyth.  Offering contributions to the testing, handling and installation session will be John Davies of Helix Robotic Solutions, Andrew Hastings from Maritime Developments Ltd, Steve Pocock of RED Engineering and a representative of Enshore Subsea, alongside chair Dr Alan Dobson of TechnipFMC.

Discussing approaches to operations and maintenance to ensure the long-term reliability and performance of subsea electrical cables will be Chris Hutchens of DeepOcean, Proserv’s Paul Cook and Richard Hill of Waves Group.  While speaking in a session looking at future innovations and demand, chaired by Emily Sarveswaran of ORE Catapult, will be Karolina Zieba of the Carbon Trust, Malcolm Bowie from Encomara, Dr Chris Mullen of Kinewell and Michael Mitchell of Siemens Energy.

Sponsored by ORE Catapult, APEM Group, Business Northumberland and Proserv, Cables 2025 will also feature exhibition displays from Harlyn Solutions, HIGHVOLT and Port of Blyth.

Tickets for the conference are on sale now, with discounts available for attendees from companies that are members of Global Underwater Hub or RenewableUK.  To view the full conference programme and book tickets for Cables 2025 on Wednesday, 24 September, visit the dedicated event webpage.