Cable Turntables

In the subsea cable industry, a cable turntable (also known as a cable carousel) is a demountable platform used to store, transport and pay out cable, umbilicals or flexible pipeline during loading and installation operations. The turntable rotates to feed cable out at a controlled rate, working alongside tensioners and loading towers to protect the cable’s minimum bend radius.

How Oceanteam’s Cable Turntables Work

Oceanteam’s cable turntables are engineered in-house and demountable, so they can be mobilised to project sites worldwide rather than staying fixed at one location. Each turntable is matched in capacity and interfaces to the rest of the spread, supporting cables, umbilicals and flexible pipelines up to 5,500t. During loading, the turntable pays cable onto a vessel or storage location at a controlled rate; during installation, it releases cable in a synchronised sequence with tensioners and loading towers, keeping tension and bend radius within safe limits throughout the operation.

Where Cable Turntables Are Used

Cable turntables are used across offshore wind and subsea oil & gas projects, for export cables, inter-array cables and umbilicals that need to be stored, transported or paid out under controlled conditions. This makes the turntable one of the most frequently deployed items in our fleet, alongside carousels used for larger-diameter export cable projects. All units are built to DNV-ST-N001 and other applicable offshore standards, and are supplied for rental individually or as part of a complete cable handling spread alongside our track tensioners, loading towers and auxiliary equipment.

For full specifications and our current fleet, see our cable carousels. Every turntable is available for rental worldwide, backed by Oceanteam’s project management and design & fabrication teams whenever a project needs a tailored solution. As part of the Combifloat Group, we deliver this equipment as a single, managed spread rather than isolated units.