September 27, 2005 Morristown, NJ -- Transoceanic Cable Ship Company, Inc. (TCSC), a subsidiary of Tyco Telecommunications and a premier undersea cable and marine services ship operator, announced the signing of a two-year contract extension with the 48 member companies that comprise the consortium of the Atlantic Cable Maintenance and Repair Agreement (ACMA).
"TCSC is a first class maintenance provider that has demonstrated a firm commitment to both immediate response and to ensuring that any repairs or maintenance are done correctly the first time," comments William F. Kolb, chairman of the ACMA. "TCSC's commitment to excellence was key in our decision to extend this contract."
According to a press release, to ensure immediate response to the maintenance needs of ACMA members, TCSC supplies its Reliance Class cable ships equipped with either Nereus or ST-200 class Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), which are strategically based for optimum response time at the Tyco Telecommunications cable storage depots in Baltimore, Maryland; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Curacao, NA. The contract extension adds two years to the contract with TCSC. Under its terms, TCSC utilizes three of the industry's most advanced cable ships and ROVs for the maintenance and repair of ACMA member submarine cables in the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans.
"Because we bring to ACMA the industry's most capable vessels and ROVs, combined with the additional support services of our R & D facilities, all ACMA members can in turn provide their customers with reliable high capacity networks," remarks Frank Cuccio, managing director of Tyco Telecommunications. "We are proud that TCSC, with our proven commitment to excellence, remains the cornerstone of the undersea telecommunications marine services industry."
The ACMA 2004 is a cooperative non-profit arrangement consisting of 48 telecommunications companies on all the continents that border the Atlantic Ocean. The pact provides for at-sea maintenance services for the vast majority of more than 150,000 km of underwater telecom cables crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and parts of the west coast of South America. ACMA 2004 offers a range of services and products for cable and plant, including advanced vessels, certified jointers, ROVs, and depot facilities.
TCSC operates one of the industry's most advanced cable ship fleets and is a globally recognized brand name for cable vessels and professional cable ship mariners. The company is headquartered in Baltimore, MD, where all fleet support operations are conducted. The company says it supports Tyco's undersea cable installation and maintenance activities on the basis of experience in laying more than 350,000 km of undersea cables. The company's history spans 45 years and began with the commissioning of the C.S. Long Lines, a pioneering vessel in the submarine cable industry.