A major milestone has been achieved in the development of the Malta-Sicily Interconnector 2 (IC2) following the successful manufacturing, testing and readiness for the installation of the 103-kilometre subsea cable, the Ministry for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour said.

In a statement, the Ministry said that the manufacturing of the high-voltage subsea cable has been completed at Nexans' facility in Charleston, United States, following an extensive production process carried out over one year.

The statement said the cable has also successfully undergone comprehensive factory testing to ensure its operational integrity before being securely spooled onto a dedicated carousel, ready for loading onto the cable-laying vessel later this year.

The manufacturing process included several specialised stages, beginning with the production of the fibre optic cables in Norway and the drawing of the copper conductors to the required shape and size.

Following the insulation and sheath extrusion processes, the three cable phases were assembled together with the fibre optic cables and fillers to form the complete subsea cable.

This was followed by the armouring process, which provides the cable with the structural integrity and mechanical protection required for subsea installation and long-term operation, the statement said.

The cable was produced in sections of approximately 10 kilometres, which were subsequently jointed within the factory to form two main cable lengths.

One of these lengths also includes the spare cable, which will be stored in Malta for future contingency and repair purposes.

The project has now entered its next critical phase, with the cable awaiting load-out onto the newly launched cable-laying vessel Nexans Electra.

The commissioning of the vessel marks another key development for the IC2 project, enabling efficient and precise installation of the subsea cable later this year, the statement said.

The Ministry added that this milestone has also been made possible through the successful completion of the marine route clearance campaign, finalised last week.

The clearance works ensure that the subsea installation corridor is free of obstructions, enabling safe and streamlined cable-laying operations, it said.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli described the achievement as "a major step forward" in the delivery of the IC2 project.

"The successful manufacturing and testing of the subsea cable, together with the completion of preparatory offshore works, is another important step that helps us advance to the installation phase," she said.

Dalli said that the IC2 project is a strategic investment aimed at enhancing Malta's electricity interconnection with mainland Europe, increasing resilience, supporting the integration of renewable energy, and contributing to the country's long-term energy transition goals.

Interconnect Malta Divisional Manager (Design and Automation) Dr Ing. Joseph Vassallo said the completion of the manufacturing and comprehensive testing of the 103-kilometre subsea cable represented "a major technical and logistical achievement" for the IC2 project.

Vassallo said the completion of the marine route clearance campaign and the launch of the Nexans Electra provided "a stepping stone" towards proceeding confidently with the installation phase later this year, reflecting the high level of coordination and expertise across all project partners while continuing to deliver critical infrastructure that strengthens Malta's energy security and long-term sustainability.

The €300 million investment has been approved for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding under the priority "Promoting a clean and just energy transition" and has been recognised as an "Operation of Strategic Importance" in the 2021-2027 Programme, with €261 million allocated in European funding, the statement said.