NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (TOKYO:9432), NTT World Engineering Marine Corporation (NTTWEM) and NTT FINANCE CORPORATION (NTT FINANCE) jointly announced today that their new submarine cable-laying vessel, “Kizuna,” which launched late last year, has now been fully outfitted and will enter service in the foreseeable future.

NTTWEM’s parent company NTT Com and other telecommunication companies and service providers will use Kizuna, along with three existing vessels operated by NTTWEM, to lay and maintain submarine cables for telecommunications networks and cloud services.

Kizuna is the first submarine cable-laying vessel equipped for the dual purpose of serving as a disaster-relief ship in the case of major natural disasters, including by transporting containers, vehicles, cellular-network base stations, satellite communication facilities, etc., and even providing temporary accommodation for NTT Group employees working in disaster zones (see Appendix 1). In May, NTT Group personnel will conduct a drill to practice loading Kizuna with disaster-recovery supplies and equipment that would be used to restore telecommunication services in an emergency.

Kizuna is owned by NTT FINANCE and leased to NTTWEM as required.

Source: NTT media announcement