Cable layer

"Cable ship" redirects here. For vessels that navigate by pulling along a fixed cable guide in a waterway, see chain boat.
Modern cable layer CS Cable Innovator docked in Port Angeles, Washington
CS Dependable at Astoria, Oregon, a modern stern sheave design
CS Hooper, the world's first purpose-built cable-laying ship, built by C. Mitchell & Co of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1873, renamed CS Silvertown in 1881

A cable layer or cable ship is a deep-sea vessel designed and used to lay underwater cables for telecommunications, for electric power transmission, military, or other purposes. Cable ships are distinguished by large cable sheaves[1] for guiding cable over bow or stern or both. Bow sheaves,[2] some very large, were characteristic of all cable ships in the past, but newer ships are tending toward having stern sheaves only, as seen in the photo of CS Cable Innovator at the Port of Astoria on this page. The names of cable ships are often preceded by "C.S." as in CS Long Lines.[3]

The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid by cable layers in 1857 to 1858. It briefly enabled telecommunication between Europe and North America before misuse resulted in failure of the line. In 1866 the SS Great Eastern successfully laid two transatlantic cables, securing future communication between the continents.

  1. ^ "History of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy - HMTS Monarch (4)". atlantic-cable.com. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  2. ^ "NavSource Photo, USS Neptune (ARC 2) bow sheaves". navsource.org. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  3. ^ "History of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy - Leo Parrish and CS Long Lines". atlantic-cable.com. Retrieved 24 March 2019.