MV Lida to be Retired by Mertech Marine

Oct 01, 2023

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa – Mertech Marine, the submarine telecommunications cable recovery and recycling company, announces a key upgrade to its subsea cable recovery fleet with the addition of a new ship that will replace its retiring flagship motor vessel (MV), Lida.

A Dutch-built freighter that turned subsea telecom retrieval vessel in 2009, MV Lida spent 13 of her 50 years in service recovering disused cables from the ocean floor. Her extensive career included 59 cable recovery voyages, during which she recovered 62,000 metric tons of cable, including the first submarine telephone cable between England and North America, the Transatlantic No. 1 (TAT-1). MV Lida's retrieval of these subsea cables enabled Mertech Marine to recycle the inactive cables. The recycled material from these cables allowed Mertech Marine to displace 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

"MV Lida stands as a symbol of what subsea telecom cable retrieval can achieve for the environment, both in terms of the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide and how these materials can be recycled and repurposed," said Alwyn du Plessis, Chief Executive Officer of Mertech Marine. "We are eager to introduce Lida's replacement vessel as our fleet continues to expand. The new ship will incorporate the latest innovations in responsible and sustainable cable recovery and recycling technology."

Mertech Marine has cumulatively recovered and recycled over 77,000 km (95,000 Mt) of nearly every type of submarine telecommunication cable (including telegraph, coaxial, and fiber optic). The company's fleet management and renewal program ensure its cable recovery capacity remains aligned with market demand.

To learn more, please visit: www.mertechmarine.co.za

About Mertech Marine

Mertech Marine, established in 1998, has been pioneering and innovating turnkey solutions for the submarine telecommunications industry since 2004. Mertech Marine recovers out-of-service subsea cables using its own marine fleet, dismantling and recycling cables in its own factories. The company offers freighting, route survey, relay, and related submarine services according to the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) and international recommendations. Learn more about Mertech Marine at: www.mertechmarine.co.za <https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=0uGBUysVt6dJU-Q0SPsoBc6a09YdqDmjwFWvxDnwT9jLZ5fEnNRr3xo684XBExRE8AuQYFY-dLK5cFAM3VlmmyMw6wlN9t9HIyLeO6P1z9E=>

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