Taihan Cable & Solution announced Thursday that it signed an MOU with Panstar Robotics on Wednesday to domestically develop remotely operated vehicles for submarine cables. Pictured from left are Lee Chun-won, executive vice president at Taihan Cable & Solution, and Min Jeong-tak, chief executive of Panstar Robotics. [Taihan Cable & Solution]
Taihan Cable & Solution announced Thursday that it signed an MOU with Panstar Robotics on Wednesday to domestically develop remotely operated vehicles for submarine cables. Pictured from left are Lee Chun-won, executive vice president at Taihan Cable & Solution, and Min Jeong-tak, chief executive of Panstar Robotics. [Taihan Cable & Solution]

Taihan Cable & Solution is moving to domestically develop high-performance remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for use in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable projects.

The company announced Thursday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with marine robotics firm Panstar Robotics on Wednesday to jointly develop domestically produced ROVs for offshore wind and HVDC submarine cable applications.

The signing ceremony was held at Taihan Cable & Solution's headquarters at Hoban Park Building 2 in Seocho-gu, Seoul, and was attended by Lee Chun-won, executive vice president and head of the submarine business division; Kim Hyun-ju, executive vice president for production and technology; Hong Dong-seok, senior vice president and head of the technology research institute; and Min Jeong-tak, chief executive of Panstar Robotics.

The agreement was driven by the need to strengthen competitiveness in large-scale HVDC submarine cable projects, including the West Coast energy highway.

The two companies plan to domestically develop high-performance cable-burial ROVs, along with the operational technology and installation solutions that currently rely heavily on foreign suppliers, with the aim of improving self-sufficiency in the submarine cable industry and enhancing project stability and installation efficiency.

At present, burial equipment used in large, technically demanding submarine cable projects such as HVDC installations is mostly sourced from overseas, and operations frequently require foreign specialist personnel.

Korea's southwestern seas present fast tidal currents, high turbidity and shallow water depths — conditions that have long underscored the need for high-performance burial ROVs optimized for domestic marine environments.

Under the MOU, the two companies will jointly develop high-performance burial ROVs and operating systems capable of deployment across offshore wind internal and external grid networks, long-distance grid interconnections, and HVDC submarine cable projects. They also plan to demonstrate submarine cable burial and protection technologies and pursue commercialization.

Going forward, the partners intend to apply the developed equipment and technology at actual submarine cable installation sites, participate in national research and development programs to advance the technology further, and jointly explore entry into overseas markets.

Through the joint development effort, Taihan Cable & Solution aims to internalize core submarine cable installation capabilities and strengthen its capacity for large-scale HVDC projects, including the West Coast energy highway.

"Domestically developing high-performance submarine cable ROVs goes beyond simple equipment development — it is a critical undertaking to enhance the competitiveness of Korea's submarine cable supply chain," Lee said. "We will continue to strengthen our capabilities across the entire submarine cable value chain, contribute to national energy security, and play a central role in the global market as a total submarine cable solution provider."


keg@heraldcorp.com