~Work teams battled rough seas for Link 1 Inshore Cable Restoration at Playa Isla Verde, San Juan, Puerto Rico~
San Juan, Puerto Rico:--- The TelEm Group of Companies is pleased to announce the successful restoration of its SMPR-1 undersea cable at Playa Isla Verde, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A crucial operation has been ongoing for the past three weeks, conducted by the specialized cable-laying vessel, CS Wave Sentinel, working within the narrowest window of inclement weather conditions, including the approach of Tropical Storm Ernesto, which at one stage threatened to abandon the repair works for another year.
A string of events over close to eight years prevented the historic moment on Saturday, August 10, 2024, when the SMPR-1 cable was finally returned, spliced, and intact on the sea floor with added shielded protection.
The moment was witnessed by TelEm Group Network Engineer and SMPR-1 Project Manager, Mr. Jed Carty, who was in close contact with the CS Wave Sentinel throughout the offshore repair and was on board the Blue Manta monitoring the ongoing repair inshore operation and reporting back to the executive directors daily.
TelEm Group Interim CTO Mr. Shairon Offerman was first to congratulate Mr. Carty and the team for completing the complex task under very difficult conditions.
Mr. Carty described the choppy seas and back and forth of the Blue Manta as the team battled to complete the final part of the operation before bad weather made any further work impossible.
TelEm Group CEO, Mr. Kendall Dupersoy sent personal messages of thanks and congratulations to the team, as did CFO, Mr. Randell F. Hato, after hearing of the return of the spliced and repaired cable to the sea floor.
Both say a series of testing of the cable will have to take place before it can once again be put fully intol operation. Both also acknowledge the great advantage the repaired cable will give to TelEm Group in its ongoing transformation to become an Integrated Digital Service Provider (IDSP) for St. Maarten.
“The initial tests have already started and will continue so that we can have SMPR-1 up and running again as soon as possible,” said Mr. Dupersoy.
He said this is great news for TelEm Group but even greater news for St. Maarten, noting that the Shareholders and the supervisory board of directors have been apprised of this major development and the incredible milestone that has been accomplished by a dedicated and focused team.
