By Submarine Cable NewsFeed
E-Marine PJSC, an Etisalat Services Holding Company, and the leader in submarine cable installation, maintenance and repair in the Middle East, has announced that it has been contracted by Alcatel-Lucent, to lay a 4,900-kilometer submarine cable between the United Arab Emirates and Kenya (TEAMS). This contract demonstrates E-Marines strong capabilities and presence in the international marketplace, said Mr. Omar Jassim Bin Kalban, Managing Director and CEO of E-Marine.
The East African Marine System cable deployment was awarded to Alcatel-Lucent in December 2007. TEAMS will increase the regions optical connectivity capacity and enable lower costs of Internet access services. The cable will connect the hubs of the Middle East Region and Eastern Africa, spanning from Fujairah in UAE to Mombasa in Kenya.
“We are pleased to cooperate with E-Marine in this project that represents a new milestone in the development of the communications infrastructure between the UAE and Kenya,” said
Etienne Lafougère, President of Alcatel-Lucent's submarine activity.
TEAMS is a joint venture between the Government of Kenya and the private sector. The Kenyan government owns 45% of the project, with Etisalat owning a 15% share. The remainder is shared amongst regional telecommunications companies and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), as well as fund managers.
Completion of TEAMS is scheduled for the second quarter of 2009. The cable will connect East African countries and countries in the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world.
E-Marine PJSC, is an ISO Certified Company that has grown to become one of the market leaders in submarine cable installation, maintenance and repair. E-Marine owns three cable ships, all fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. E-Marine also installs major submarine composite power cables connecting various oil field platforms in the region. It has the capability to extend its expertise in the field of marine project management and consultancy services, marine route survey, cable freight management and storage, and chartering.
E-Marine has to its credits many prestigious regional and international projects as well as maintenance and repair contracts for various submarine cables systems. The strategic location of E-Marine facilities as well as its customized solutions, coupled with its highly competent professionals makes E-Marine, the leader in the region for the submarine cables related services, the company said in a statement.