International Cable Protection Committee

2022 Virtual ICPC Plenary Theme: Installing, Operating and Maintaining Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructure in a Rapidly Evolving Global Environment

The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) is pleased to announce it now seeks presentation abstracts that speak to the conference’s wide-ranging theme addressing resilient submarine cable infrastructure. Recommended topics include, but are not limited to the following:

• Innovative cable protection methods that minimise impacts on the marine environment
• Ensuring network reliability against a background of continuing climate change
• Science as it is applied to submarine cable system design, routing, and protection
• Installer, operator, and government measures to enhance cable system security
• Cooperation with other seabed users and/or regulators to protect infrastructure, marine industries, and biodiversity

The 2022 Virtual ICPC Plenary will be held online from 26th-27th April 2022. The event is closed to ICPC Members, selected speakers and invited guests, but non-Members are welcome to submit a presentation abstract for consideration via the link here. The deadline for abstracts is Friday, 4th February 2022 and all presentation guidelines are detailed in the ‘Call for Papers’ below.

In May 2021, The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) launched a campaign to hire a UK-based Project Manager, and after a thorough review process of qualified candidates, the ICPC has selected Mr John Wrottesley to fill this new role and they are pleased to announce his contract with the organisation commenced on 14th September 2021. Mr Wrottesley joins the team from Red Penguin (an Associate Member company of the ICPC).

As Project Manager, Mr Wrottesley will coordinate and oversee the organisation’s sponsored projects and additional research initiatives as well as ICPC Recommendations (which are document guides to aid the submarine cable industry in promoting the highest goals of reliability and safety in the submarine cable environment). The new Project Manager will work under the oversight of the ICPC General Manager, Mr Ryan Wopschall, and will collaborate closely with the Secretariat, the Executive Committee, International Cable Law Adviser, Marine Environmental Adviser, and UN Observer Representative.

Mr Wrottesley has been working in the submarine cable industry for 13 years, primarily in permitting for cables relating to the telecommunications, energy (offshore wind and interconnectors) and oil and gas industries around the globe. He has been involved in submarine cable industry bodies for many years and was the Chairman of the Technical and Regulatory Subgroup within European Subsea Cables Association (ESCA). Presently, he is the Liaison Officer for ESCA in addition to his work for the ICPC.

When asked about his new appointment, Mr Wrottesley stated, ‘Having already being very familiar with the ICPC over the years, I am honoured to now be involved in the significant day-to-day activities of the ICPC and grateful to operate more closely on their achievements for the worldwide submarine cable community. I look forward to working with the ICPC General Manager, Secretariat, EC and Advisers, and contributing to the continued great work undertaken by the ICPC.’

The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) is pleased to announce the launch of Government Best Practices for Protecting and Promoting Resilience of Submarine Telecommunications Cables to assist governments in developing laws, policies, and practices to foster the development and protection of submarine telecommunications cables, the infrastructure of the Internet. The Best Practices are now available in both English [?] and Spanish [?] on the public section of ICPC’s web site.

The Best Practices first set forth a set of general principles to guide governments in cable protection and resilience, including the need to focus on statistically significant risks of cable damage, and the use of regulatory frameworks to enhance geographic diversity, promote the rule of law; and promote speedy infrastructure deployment and repair. The Best Practices then identify cable damage risks and other regulatory challenges—ranging from fishing and anchoring risks to spatial separation from other marine activities to cabotage—and make specific recommendations for governmental practices to reduce risk, promote connectivity, and improve regulation.

‘As the world’s preeminent cable protection organisation, ICPC has long promoted government best practices in workshops and consultations, but it had never codified its own thinking on these issues in a public document,’ said Kent Bressie, ICPC’s International Cable Law Adviser and the principal author of the Best Practices. ‘Now, when governments seek industry views on cable protection and resilience, we can share ICPC’s views in a practical and accessible guide.’

As with ICPC’s Recommendations, the Best Practices will be updated periodically to address emerging issues in industry and in the marine environment. They may be supplemented by annexes addressing particular issues in detail, such as with fish aggregation devices, for which ICPC’s FAD Working Group is developing more detailed best practices.

Forthcoming Webinar. To assist ICPC Members in understanding the Best Practices and how they might be used in discussions with governments, ICPC will host a forthcoming webinar.