Interconnect Malta Ltd (ICM), a government company operating under Malta's Ministry of Environment, Energy and Enterprise, following an international open call for tenders, has awarded Fugro a contract to deliver a preliminary marine route survey and post-survey assessments to identify the final route for the Second Cable Interconnection Project between Malta and Sicily.

Interconnect Malta Ltd (ICM), a government company operating under Malta's Ministry of Environment, Energy and Enterprise, following an international open call for tenders, has awarded Fugro a contract to deliver a preliminary marine route survey and post-survey assessments to identify the final route for the Second Cable Interconnection Project between Malta and Sicily. The new 118 km, 200 MW high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) electrical cable will be installed between Maghtab in Malta and Ragusa in Sicily, parallel to the first HVAC interconnector, which was laid in 2015.

Starting at the end of August, Fugro will provide ICM with detailed marine geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveys by deploying state-of-the-art equipment and specialised personnel to acquire comprehensive Geo-data nearshore at the cable's landfall and offshore in deeper water along the proposed route. Fugro will then combine this Geo-data with the results of their specialist post-survey assessments to advise on geohazard risk mitigation and identify a safe route for the final cable installation.

Rodolfo D'Addario, Fugro's Country Manager for Italy, said: "Our purpose at Fugro is to create a safe and liveable world by providing Geo-data that supports projects such as this cable interconnection, which will allow Malta to cater for more renewable electricity and optimise local power generation. In this way, the results of our accurate and comprehensive surveys will directly contribute to Malta's 2030 climate and energy targets and, in the longer term, their 2050 plan for decarbonisation."