PORTSMOUTH, United Kingdom—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.

ICPC Contact:
Ryan Wopschall
ICPC General Manager
general.manager@iscpc.org

PORTSMOUTH, United Kingdom — The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), the world’s leading organisation promoting submarine cable protection and resilience, came to Valentia Island, Ireland to hold its annual three day meeting of the Executive Committee from 8-10 October , and then co-organised the Valentia Island Subsea Cable Security and Resilience Symposium at the historic Valentia Island Transatlantic Cable Station in Valentia, Co. Kerry from 10-12 October.

Ireland’s Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD gave an opening address to the Symposium, highlighting the importance of resilience of key infrastructure on the seabed. More than 85 representatives from ten countries joined in dialogue from across industry, governments and academia.

The Symposium, including numerous speakers from the ICPC, highlighted key challenges and risks to cables across spatial, environmental and human risks. The discussions took place under Chatham House rules facilitating open dialogue between delegates on resilience, security, and the primary challenges facing the modern submarine cable industry.

The ICPC supports the proposal of the Valentia Island Development Company in collaboration with Kerry County Council, and the government of Newfoundland, to achieve UNESCO World Heritage Status to preserve the cable history on both sides of the Atlantic. ICPC is making a donation to the restoration of the Cable Station, First Message Building and Slate Yard and is exploring further ways to support the bid.

Mr. Graham Evans, ICPC Chairman, said ‘The ICPC was proud to support this important initiative that brought together governments, the global submarine cable industry, and academics to explore the topic of the resilience of communications beneath the oceans. The universal importance of those first pioneering steps in transatlantic telegraphic communications cannot be understated, and it has led to the modern interconnected world that we live in today. It is particularly fitting that the symposium was held in this historic and important location.’

Mr Leonard Hobbs of the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation, said ‘In 1858, Europe and North America were connected for the first time via the undersea transatlantic telegraph cable, which connected Valentia in Co Kerry to Trinity Bay in Newfoundland, reducing the communication times from weeks to minutes, in an achievement now considered the 19th century equivalent of putting a man on the moon and was regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World at the time. The Foundation warmly welcomed the members of the ICPC and the other international delegates to the Symposium in this historic place where this subsea cable industry began over 150 years ago.’

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 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.

Earlier this week, the ICPC Executive Committee held their annual meeting on Valentia Island, Ireland, at the historic Valentia Island Transatlantic Cable Station! This unique venue was chosen to support its bid for UNESCO World Heritage status.

Did you know that the first transatlantic telegraph cable began between Valentia Island, Ireland, and Newfoundland, Canada, transforming global communication, reducing transmission time from weeks to mere minutes? This achievement marked a technological revolution that profoundly influenced global commerce. Supporting Valentia Island’s UNESCO World Heritage bid is a way to celebrate this milestone, inspire future generations to value and advance our shared heritage.

After the EC meeting, committee members will also participate in the exclusive Valentia Island Subsea Cable Symposium from 10-12 October. Hosted by the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation, this inaugural symposium aims to unite stakeholders from both public and private sectors to discuss subsea cable security and resilience from diverse perspectives. Learn more about the symposium here: https://symposium.valentiacable.com/.

ICPC Chair Graham Evans said ‘The International Cable Protection Committee is the world’s leading organisation promoting submarine cable protection and resilience. We are proud to support this important initiative to convene governments, the global submarine cable industry, and academics to explore the topic of the resilience of communications beneath the oceans. The universal importance of those first pioneering steps in transatlantic telegraphic communications cannot be understated, and it has led to the modern interconnected world that we live in today. It is particularly fitting that the symposium will be held at the location where the first transatlantic cable landed in Valentia Island.’