Vessel anchor reported to have damaged the Malta-Italy subsea interconnector, later repaired by Nexans and Enemalta

2022Published 8 Oct 2026Responsible editor: George, Chief Editor

SignificantOtherProvisionalNext update 8 Oct

Estimated damage ModelledLow confidencesupply cut for •• days

From the recordRoot cause Failed part

Shown in the record Full estimateHow? Know the real figure?

Companies named in this entry: Enemalta, Nexans

What happened

A December 2022 report says the 98-kilometre Malta-Italy subsea interconnector, which links Malta to the European electricity grid in Sicily, was damaged in a storm by a vessel anchor in March. Enemalta has said electricity from the interconnector forms around 20 per cent of Malta's electricity mix. The cable was switched off during the repair, and supply came from local sources, including Enemalta's plants. Enemalta engineers and technicians worked with Nexans at sea in Qalet Marku and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq over about three weeks before early December 2022.

A replacement section stored at Delimara power station was loaded in October onto the cable-laying vessel Nexans Aurora. A robot was reported to have cut out more than 1.5 km of damaged cable; cast iron protective shells were removed and the damaged part was replaced. Nexans confirmed that the repair works were finalised. The source says testing was completed so the link could be re-energised, but it does not state that it had been re-energised.

Enemalta said it had opened a legal case for damages against the owners of the vessel Chem P. The repairs alone were reported to cost around EUR 25 million.

Contributing factors

The source states that the cable was damaged in a storm by a vessel anchor. It does not say whether the vessel was in an authorised anchorage, or whether the cable route was marked or otherwise protected.

Lessons learned

Third-party contact, including anchoring, can take a subsea interconnector out of service, so operators need a way to cover demand from other sources while the link is off.
Spare cable and access to a cable-laying vessel can shorten replacement of a damaged section.
Repair costs and the identity of the vessel involved should be recorded from the start if a claim for damages is to be pursued.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.

Source

offshore-energy.biz

Published 2026-10-08. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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