PORTSMOUTH, United Kingdom--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), notes with concern the recent reports of faults on two submarine cables in the Baltic Sea and speculation about the cause. The BCS East-West cable experienced a fault on Sunday, 17th November, and the C-Lion cable reported a fault on Monday, 18th November 2024.
These incidents have sparked significant speculation in news and social media, in many cases with conclusory statements about deliberate damage. At this stage in the investigations, however, no conclusive evidence has been disclosed to support such claims. The ICPC emphasizes that it is vital for the repair to proceed in a timely fashion and for investigations regarding the cause of damage be completed in a timely and objective manner so that governments and industry might learn from the incident and enhance cable protection going forward. Cable operators and governments should continue to work together to investigate the cause.
Consistent with ICPC’s Government Best Practices for Protecting and Promoting Resilience of Submarine Telecommunications Cables, we urge operators and governments to collaborate in identifying and mitigating the causes of these faults. Historical data shows that the primary causes of cable damage globally are accidental, with approximately 70-80% of incidents attributed to commercial fishing activities and ship anchors. The remaining faults are typically caused by other factors such as abrasion, equipment failure or by natural hazards (seafloor currents, storms, submarine landslides, sediment flows etc.).
Submarine cables are designed with multiple layers of protection, including burial beneath the seabed, armouring, and strategic route planning. Despite these measures, damage and repairs are not uncommon, with an average of 150–200 faults occurring globally each year. It shall be statistically noted that the global network is made up of about 450 cable systems spanning more than 1.5 million kms.
Investigations into the cause can take some time, with submarine cable repair ships conducting physical inspections and operators using tools such as Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to gather additional insights. This process underscores the complexity of determining whether damage was accidental or intentional.
It is also important to note that damage to one or even two cables is unlikely to cause significant service disruptions due to the built-in diversity and redundancy of cable networks. These systems are specifically designed to reroute data traffic in the event of an outage, minimising any potential impact on customers.
The ICPC continues to advocate for stronger collaboration between operators, governments, and stakeholders to expedite repair permits, enhance security measures for repair operations, and ensure that critical undersea infrastructure remains protected against a growing range of threats.
About the ICPC: To promote submarine cable protection and resilience, the ICPC works with its members, governments, international organisations, other marine industries, and the scientific community to: mitigate risks of natural and human damage to cables; develop recommendations and best practices for industry and governments throughout the cable project life cycle; promote scientific research addressing how cables exist in the marine environment; and promote the rule of law for the oceans. The ICPC has more than 230 Member organisations from over 70 countries who build, operate, and maintain submarine telecommunications and power cable infrastructure. To learn more about the ICPC, visit: www.iscpc.org or send an e-mail to secretariat@iscpc.org.
