28.02.2023

The importance of protecting the global submarine cables infrastructure is a common global. This data cable network is a vital infrastructure since the digital world, such as the digital economy, digital services, military operations, and more are depending on it.

In terms of operations, regulations and protection, the undersea cable network is a complex setup of various operators: telecommunication agencies, coast guards, marine police, military protection, and others. The international treaty negotiations governing submarine cables date back to the 1884 International Convention for the Protection of Submarine Telegraph Cables. Nowadays this is part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). But as these cables lay underwater, they seem to be forgotten or taken for granted by policymakers as a phenomenon called sea blindness.

However, with the recent and ongoing 2022 Ukraine war, and various malicious and targeted attacks of sabotage, the submarine cable industry is receiving public attention. Submarine cables are under threat during wartime due to increased terrorism and piracy, for a struggle of power. This can be seen through the September 2022 events, when Denmark and Sweden discovered four major leaks because of deliberate sabotage in Nord Stream 1 and 2 in the subsea gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany. Following this, Germany experienced another sabotage when fibre optic communication cables that were cut as a targeted action. Norway has also experienced further sabotage in its energy infrastructure by Russian intelligence services. And there is more.

Thanks to this wake-up call, the industry is undergoing a major shift as governments across the globe are recognising the importance of the subsea cables for communications, security, and digital economy. The protection of this core infrastructure has become more significant and is gaining seriousness in the geopolitical world where big politicians are now all in a race to protect their infrastructure. But this should not only be on every politician’s agenda. Service providers and suppliers to the industry should also contribute to the safety and security of these cables. As Oceans & Cables is a member of the International Cable Protection Committee, we share the same vision with them, to be recognised as the ‘Guardian of the Subsea Cable Infrastructure’ and is working to provide leadership, guidance, and a voice for the industry to promote awareness of the submarine cables safety and security.

Oceans & Cables Limited is a company based in Malta, founded in 2014, operating in the submarine cable industry and related technical services, working with various industries and markets globally. Our specialisation is in the consultancy, planning and implementation of the submarine cable industry for governmental entities, commercial corporations, and offshore energy companies around the world. For more information about Oceans & Cables, please contact us on info@oceanscables.com.

Article written by guest writer Ms Charlene Sciberras.

07.02.2023

The global submarine cable market size was estimated at USD25.50 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% from 2022 to 2030. One of the major factors driving this market is the increasing investments in offshore wind farms, amongst others of course such as the ever increasing data traffic. This is according to the Market Analysis Report by Grand View Search – Submarine Cable Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report 2022 – 2030. We know that submarine cables are widely used as a transmission mode of data, but it’s also important to know and understand that these cables are also widely used for power transmission to oil rigs and power generated from offshore wind farms to the power station.

The rise of wind power as an offshore renewable energy is an infinite energy source with a potential to supply large amount of green sustainable energy. And as the world is trying to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gases, offshore wind power plays an important role in the electricity generation. Progressively, the growth of offshore winds farms is expected to fuel the renewable energy sectors as more countries become aware of this opportunity and governments get ready to invest in it.

More wind farms only mean more demand for submarine cables solutions. As offshore wind continues to move further away from land to reach a fuller potential with stronger and consistent winds, the submarine cabling systems are gaining more importance in the wind power sector not only due to the need of connecting bigger turbines to one another in larger distances but also in deeper waters and connecting the far-away offshore substations to the onshore stations. This is why the submarine cables for the offshore wind power is getting more sophisticated and complex, thus outlining the importance of submarines cables for the offshore wind energy supply.

Undoubtedly, as wind power generation is leading as the new renewable energy solution, the submarine cables are gaining even more importance in this sector and are being transformed into something more dynamic to reflect this industry. In the meantime, all these critical infrastructures -telecommunication and power cables, pipelines, wellheads from O&G, and so on – need to be protected and watched over by the international community with rules, technology, and respect because they are a common global.

Oceans & Cables Limited is a company based in Malta, founded in 2014, operating in the submarine cable industry and related technical services, working with various industries and markets globally. Our specialisation is in the consultancy, planning and implementation of the submarine cable industry for governmental entities, commercial corporations, and offshore energy companies around the world. For more information about Oceans & Cables, please contact us on info@oceanscables.com.

Article written by guest writer Ms Charlene Sciberras.