NTT Com Launches New Submarine Cable-laying Vessel Kizuna In Japan

(RTTNews) - NTT Communications Corp., the ICT solutions and international communications business within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT), announced Wednesday the launch of new submarine cable-laying vessel "Kizuna" in Japan.

Kizuna will be owned by NTT FINANCE CORP. and leased to NTT World Engineering Marine Corp. or NTTWEM when required.

NTTWEM's parent company NTT Com and other telecommunication companies and service providers will utilize Kizuna and three other vessels operated by NTTWEM to lay and maintain submarine cables used for delivering network and cloud services.

Construction of the 8,500 ton ship will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2016. The ship measures 109 meters in length and 20 meters in width, and which will have a planned average cruising speed of 13 knots and a capacity of up to 60 crew.

NTT Com said it plans to deploy the new ship Kizuna predominantly for cable laying in Japanese waters, with the existing Subaru being used mostly overseas, with both vessels offering fast and competitive undersea cable laying and maintenance.

The name of the new vessel was chosen following an internal poll of NTT Com Group employees. The Japanese word "kizuna" signifies the connection between people and between people and things.