ANTONY SAVVAS CABLE DAMAGE
PROTECTING SUBSEA CABLES BREAK POINTS:
Damage to subsea optical cables is increasingly in the news, and some commentators are linking the damage caused to an increasingly fractious geopolitical environment, in relation to the war in Ukraine and tensions between the West and China, for instance. Whatever the cause of these seemingly regular incidents, Antony Savvas asks the optical industry what can be done to mitigate the threats to subsea infrastructure.
A t the end of 2023, a trailing anchor of a Chinese ship damaged the Baltic Connector natural gas pipeline, and the EE-S1 submarine telecoms cable. Last year, a Chinese government investigation maintained the damage was “accidental”, citing a “strong storm”, rather than deliberate sabotage. In November 2024, another Chinese ship was linked to damage sustained by two other submarine cables, one linking Finland and Germany, and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania. The governments of Germany and Finland said they feared the damage was “deliberate”, however investigations around this damage are ongoing. SABOTAGE? Additionally, in January 2025, the Trans- Pacific Express Cable System, which directly connects Taiwan to the US East Coast, as well as Japan, South Korea, and China, was reportedly damaged by a Cameroon-flagged ship, allegedly owned by a Chinese company. “This is another case of a very worrying global trend of sabotage against subsea cables,” claimed a senior Taiwanese national security official. “The ships that are involved in these incidents are typically rundown vessels that have little above-the-board business. This one, too, is in very bad shape. It is similar to the ships that are part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’.”
That “shadow fleet” is alleged to be involved in breaking international sanctions against Russia’s government, after its invasion of Ukraine. A crude oil ship that sailed from Russia at the end of 2024 was later implicated by Finnish authorities as being involved in anchor damage to power cables in the Baltic. Tony O’Sullivan, CEO of international data network platform RETN, says, “These most recent incidents of subsea cable damage have reignited fears about the fragility of global connectivity. The risks to international digital infrastructure have always been abundantly clear, whether from sabotage, accidents, or geopolitical tensions. To future-proof global connectivity, the industry must adopt a global perspective, diversifying networks, balancing cost with redundancy, and collaborating to strengthen underserved regions and critical routes. The stakes are high, but with the right strategies, we can mitigate risks and build a more resilient digital future.” DON’T PANIC! Despite the threats though, Gavin Tully, managing partner of subsea specialist Pioneer Consulting, says it’s wrong to panic, just yet. “It’s important to note in general, that cables around the world are already well protected. The industry at large has undertaken significant efforts in the last few decades to learn how best to protect cables. In fact,
the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) was established in 1958 for this specific purpose, and its membership is ever-growing as it focuses on increased global awareness, resilience, and protection.” Tully adds, “A lot of media attention has been focused on subsea cable breaks, cuts, and damage, but statistically speaking, these events are rare. You do not hear about the cable systems which operate for decades without being damaged or disrupted.” Having said that, Tully says there are a few things that can be done to better protect subsea cables, • Installation improvements, such as deeper burial, but it’s important to note that this can come at great cost, and any cable system must remain commercially viable. • Increased community awareness. There are many “cable awareness” campaigns around the world that promote active awareness of cable protection zones for shipping corridors, fishing, and other industries that can potentially cause damage. • Newer sensing technologies can be deployed to detect potential threats. For instance, through a combination
of AIS (automatic identification system) on ships and sensing
technology integrated with cables, a cable operator can be made aware of a cargo ship dragging its anchor and approaching a cable.
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| ISSUE 40 | Q1 2025
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