Marine, Offshore and Subsea Connectors

Marine, Offshore & Subsea

At sea, connectors face salt spray, acid atmospheres, immersion and pressure. Deck, shipboard and subsea equipment each need a different sealing approach.

Our range spans SHX33/34/35 rubber-molded connectors to 7000 m, SHX4 metal-shell connectors, GDM optical-electrical hybrids, SHX15/16 and YMG shipboard connectors and marine-grade J599WR.

At a glance

Where they are used

Seafloor observation networks and subsea power distribution

Power and data connections for seabed networks and subsea power distribution.

Towed arrays and sonar

Load-bearing array connectors and watertight sonar and hydrophone connectors.

Deep-sea instruments and current meters

Signal and power connections for instruments working at 1000 m water depth.

Offshore oil equipment

Glass-sealed receptacles that stay gas-tight and watertight on oil and marine equipment.

Shipboard equipment

Watertight and corrosion-resistant connectors for shipboard electrical equipment.

What the connectors must handle

Depth and pressure

Specify both ratings. SHX33, SHX34, SHX35 and SHX30 hold 70 MPa mated and unmated; SHX4 and SHX10 hold 10 MPa mated; SHX13, GDM and SM hold 4.5 MPa mated; SHX27 seals radially and axially at 4.5 MPa.

Mating with water present

SHX33, SHX34, SHX35, SHX30 and GDM can be mated with water on the contact faces; SHX27 with water droplets on the contact faces.

Corrosion

SHX4 shells in titanium, aluminum bronze or stainless steel; SM titanium shells rated 1000 h salt spray; J599WR cadmium-free finish rated 240 h acid salt spray.

Power and data

SHX34 single-contact 250 A at 3000 V withstanding voltage; SHX33 13-contact Gigabit Ethernet version; GDM power plus 4 optical fibers at ≤ 1 dB.

Pull and handling

SM connectors carry 50,000 N on Kevlar strength members, with an oil-filled, pressure-balanced construction.

Cable assemblies

Connectors hot or cold vulcanized to power, signal, load-bearing, fiber or hybrid cable — single, double or multi-ended, up to 70 MPa.

Compare the series

Underwater and subsea

SeriesConstructionPressure / depthContactsCurrentNotesDatasheet
SHX33Rubber-molded7000 m, 70 MPa mated and unmated3 to 163–10 AWet-mateable; Gigabit Ethernet versionPDF, 208 KB
SHX34Rubber-molded, large7000 m, 70 MPa mated and unmated1 to 1010–15 A; 250 A (1-contact)Wet-mateable; single-contact power versionPDF, 208 KB
SHX35Rubber-molded, compact7000 m, 70 MPa mated and unmated2 to 85–10 AWet-mateablePDF, 199 KB
SHX30Rubber-molded, rectangular7000 m, 70 MPa mated and unmated2 to 85–10 AWet-mateable; straight or right-anglePDF, 185 KB
SHX4Metal shell1000 m, 10 MPa mated1 to 417.5–115 ACoax and high-voltage contacts; field-serviceable backshellPDF, 227 KB
SHX10Glass-sealed receptacle10 MPa mated; 5 MPa receptacle2 to 1285–46 AGas-tight and watertight receptaclePDF, 268 KB
SHX27Metal shell, power4.5 MPa radial and axial833 A main, 13 A auxiliary6000 VAC main contacts; wet-mateablePDF, 186 KB
GDMOptical-electrical hybrid4.5 MPa mated16 or 88 power + 4 optical13 A (size 16), 33 A (size 10)Single-mode or multimode, ≤ 1 dBPDF, 192 KB
SHX13Metal shell, sonar300 m, 4.5 MPa mated4 (others on request)≤ 7.5 ASonar and hydrophone equipmentPDF, 194 KB
SMLoad-bearing, towed arrays450 m, 4.5 MPa mated30 to 677.5–115 A50,000 N axial load; oil-filledPDF, 205 KB

Shipboard and deck

SeriesInterfaceSealingCurrentCorrosion resistanceDatasheet
SHX15Threaded circular, five-key0.5 MPa mated5–40 AStainless steel, 500 h salt sprayPDF, 221 KB
SHX1638999 type, 126 insert arrangements0.5 MPa mated5–33 A48–1000 h salt sprayPDF, 287 KB
J599WR38999 Series III type, 105 insert arrangementsReinforced interfacial seal5–33 A500 h neutral, 240 h acid salt sprayPDF, 290 KB
YMGBayonet, 3 to 62 contactsRain-tight3–50 AStainless steel, 1000 h salt sprayPDF, 242 KB
XCABayonet, 1 to 62 contactsPotted or glass-sealed receptacles5 / 10 / 20 / 40 A240 h acid salt sprayPDF, 254 KB

How to choose

  1. Depth and exposure

    Start from the maximum operating depth plus any test margin, and note whether receptacles will sit unmated at depth. Seawater adds about 0.1 MPa for every 10 m.

  2. Construction

    Rubber-molded connectors give the highest depth rating, light weight and wet mating. Metal shells give higher current, threaded locking and field service. Glass-sealed receptacles keep an enclosure gas-tight when unmated.

  3. Circuits

    List power, signal, Ethernet, coax and fiber circuits with the current per contact. This sets the contact sizes and shows whether a hybrid such as GDM fits.

  4. Cable and termination

    Tell us the cable type, length and pin-out. We vulcanize the connector to the cable and deliver one sealed assembly.

  5. Materials

    Choose the shell for the service: titanium, aluminum bronze or stainless steel for subsea; a cadmium-free finish such as J599WR for shipboard equipment.

Recommended series

All series can be customized — contact counts, cable lengths, materials and finishes.

Related guides

FAQ

How deep can your underwater connectors go?

SHX33, SHX34, SHX35 and SHX30 are rated to 7000 m operating depth, with 70 MPa mated and unmated. SHX4 is rated 10 MPa mated for 1000 m, SHX13 for 300 m at 4.5 MPa mated, and SM for 450 m.

Are your underwater connectors wet-mateable?

SHX33, SHX34, SHX35, SHX30 and GDM can be mated with water on the contact faces, and SHX27 with water droplets on the contact faces. If you need to mate or unmate at depth, send us the depth and conditions and we will review your project.

Can you supply connectors molded to cable?

Yes. We vulcanize connectors to power, signal, load-bearing, fiber or hybrid cable, as single-ended, double-ended or multi-branch assemblies rated up to 70 MPa. Send the cable type, length and pin-out.

Which connector carries power and fiber together?

GDM combines 16 or 88 power contacts with 4 optical contacts, single-mode or multimode, at ≤ 1 dB insertion loss, and withstands 4.5 MPa when mated.

Which connectors suit shipboard equipment?

SHX15 and SHX16 withstand 0.5 MPa when mated. J599WR uses a cadmium-free finish rated 240 h acid salt spray and replaces J599 Series III connectors directly. YMG and XCA bayonet connectors use hyperboloid sockets for smooth mating.

From sample to production

  1. Send your requirements

    Part number, drawing, pin-out or a short description of your application.

  2. Configuration and quote

    Our engineers match the configuration and reply with a drawing and quotation.

  3. Samples

    Samples are built to order. The minimum order quantity is 10 pieces, and samples and production orders each take 4–8 weeks. Third-party testing to your specification is available on request.

  4. Your approval

    You test the samples in your own equipment and approve them.

  5. Series production

    Production follows the approved sample configuration, with machining, molding, plating and assembly in our own Shenyang factory.

Need a quote or a drawing?

Send your part number, pin-out or drawing. Every inquiry is acknowledged by email within 1 business day, and an engineer follows up with a matched configuration, drawing or quotation.

Request a quote