THE CABLE-LAYING SHIP C/S VEGA docked at Virac Port last week for bunkering, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) CGS Catanduanes, to take in waster and fuel. It said that the vessel is owned by PPC Shipping Line and has Batangas as its home port. With a crew of 44, the ship came from Baler, Aurora, the report said. Tribune research shows that the C/S Vega belongs to NTT World Engineering Marine Corp., which in 2023 was commissioned by Globe Telecom, Inc. and its partners to lay undersea cables for the last leg of the $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) project covering a total cable distance of 2,500 kilometers. NTT WE Marine’s website says that the Vega can be used for submarine cable laying works, repair works, or cable burying works. The 1,706-ton ship has an overall length of 74.25 meters and a width of 12.5 meters, with a cruising speed of 13.5 knots and a maximum range of 4,500 nautical miles. It has accommodation for 50 people, including crew and client representatives. The vessel’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) has a maximum diving depth of 2,500 meters. Inside the vessel, there are holds referred to as cable tanks that store the submarine cables. The cables are laid along the designated route, using feed control equipment. In locations close to shore or at fishing grounds, the cables are buried by towed, plough-type machines as they are being laid.