01.10.2024
A Perspective from Oceans & Cables Limited
Last week, a significant joint statement was issued on the occasion of the 79th United Nations General Assembly by a coalition of nations, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom, among others. The statement, which focuses on the crucial role of undersea cable infrastructure in global communications and economic growth, carries immense importance for companies like Oceans & Cables Limited which specialise in submarine cable installation and consultancy services.
As the statement notes, “Undersea cables, together with other elements of the information and communications technology ecosystem, continue to transform the way we communicate and the way we live.” These cables, spanning oceans and connecting continents, form the backbone of the Internet, facilitating global data transmission with unparalleled capacity, low latency, and reliability. This is a reality we live and breathe at Oceans & Cables, where our mission is to ensure the secure, reliable, and resilient deployment of this critical infrastructure.
However, this growing reliance on undersea cables introduces national security risks, making it imperative to protect them from threats. As highlighted in the joint statement, “Protecting the security, resilience, and integrity of undersea cables is critical to global communications, economic growth, and development.” The security of these cables cannot be taken for granted, and the need for robust measures to safeguard them has never been more pressing. This is why at Oceans & Cables, we place a premium on adopting best practices and cutting-edge technology to ensure that the cables we deploy and maintain are resilient against any potential threats, whether they come from physical damage or cyber interference.
The principles outlined by the endorsers of this statement offer valuable guidance for the future of undersea cable infrastructure. Among these principles are:
- Designing cable infrastructure with “resilience, redundancy, and security in mind.”
- Promoting the “selection of secure and verifiable subsea cable providers for new cable projects.”
- Emphasising “closer government and industry coordination for supporting responsible undersea cable deployment, maintenance, and repair.”
- Encouraging “alternative submarine cable routes with a view to improving resilience of the global cables network.”
These points reflect our company’s core values at Oceans & Cables. Our work in the submarine cable sector is deeply tied to these global standards and best practices, and this joint statement serves as a clear signal that we are heading in the right direction. In addition, the call for increased cooperation between governments and private industry to ensure secure and resilient cable networks resonates with our approach.
We encourage other stakeholders in the submarine cable industry to follow these principles, as endorsed by the joint statement. Collaboration is the key to ensuring a secure and resilient global communications network, and it is only through united efforts that we can safeguard this critical infrastructure. At Oceans & Cables, we stand ready to play our part in creating a secure, interconnected world, one cable at a time.
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 renewable energy companies around the world. For more information about Oceans & Cables, please contact us on info@oceanscables.com.
Article written by Ms Charlene Sciberras, Director at Oceans & Cables Limited.