International Cable Protection Committee

Hosted by the Indonesian Naval Hydro-Oceanography Center (Pushidrosal), the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) held its Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee Meeting (HSSC-14) from 16-19 May 2022 in Bali where the chairman of the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), (Mr Graham Evans), was presented with a token of appreciation by the Indonesian Chief Hydrographer Vice Admiral Nurhidayat. The personalised plaque was granted to ICPC due to its support and advice related to submarine cable route planning, installation, and maintenance best practices. On behalf of the global organisation that is dedicated to the sharing of information for the common interest of all seabed users, the plaque was graciously accepted by the ICPC.

ICPC advice and support had been provided at the request of Pushidrosal by way of an informative workshop that was led by Mr Evans from EGS Survey Group, and supported by Ms Geraldine Le Meur from SubCom, that was virtually-held on 4 March 2022. The workshop focused on enquiries raised by Pushidrosal and Indonesian Government stakeholders that were related to submarine cable industry best practices for both telecommunications and power cables within the context of both Indonesia’s development of submarine cable infrastructure to support the developing digital economy across the vast Indonesian Archipelago. How best practices aligned with the importance of Indonesian Marine Spatial Planning objectives were also discussed.

Earlier this year, the ICPC published ‘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 full document may be found here.

Each year, the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) and the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy (Rhodes Academy) sponsor the Rhodes Academy-ICPC Submarine Cables Writing Award for a deserving paper addressing submarine cables and their relationship with the law of the sea. Applicants to, and graduates of, the Rhodes Academy are eligible to compete for the award, in a competition administered by the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore. With the award, the ICPC and the Rhodes Academy seek to foster scholarship regarding submarine cables (the infrastructure of the Internet) and the law of the sea and promote the rule of law as applied to submarine cables. The referees of the 2022 competition chose Sophie Ryan of Australia as the winner for her paper, ‘Submarine Cables and Belligerent Rights in Armed Conflict.’

Rhodes Academy. Each year, the Rhodes Academy brings together approximately 50 mid-career professionals from around the world to study and learn from leading ocean law and science scholars, judges, and practitioners about the law of the sea and its key legal instrument, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Academy is organised by a consortium of research universities and institutes, led by the School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. After the COVID-19 pandemic led to cancellation of the Academy in 2020 and a virtual Academy in 2021, the Directors of the Academy are pleased to return to Rhodes in person for this year’s Academy. For more information about the Rhodes Academy and the writing competition, see https://marine.unh.edu/academics/rhodes-academy and https://cil.nus.edu.sg/publication/rhodes-academy-icpc-submarine-cables-writing-award/.

The Award. Each year, the winner will receive either guaranteed admission and a full scholarship (covering the attendance fee, travel expenses, and shared hotel room) to the Rhodes Academy, or for a Rhodes Academy graduate from a prior year, a cash award of GB £4,500. The winner will receive assistance from the Rhodes Academy in seeking publication of the winning paper and will also be invited to speak at the next ICPC Plenary meeting to be held in Madrid, Spain from 18th – 20th April 2023. The papers of all past winners have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

About the ICPC. The ICPC is the world’s premier submarine cable protection organisation. It was formed in 1958 to promote the protection of international submarine cables against human and natural hazards. It provides a forum for the exchange of technical, legal, and environmental information about submarine cables and engages with stakeholders and governments globally to promote submarine cable protection. The ICPC has over 185 Members from over 60 nations, including cable operators, owners, manufacturers, industry service providers, as well as governments. For further information about the ICPC, see https://www.iscpc.org/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/icpc-ltd/.

ICPC Contact:
Kent Bressie, International Law Adviser, ICPC
+1 202 730 1337
kbressie@hwglaw.com

Rhodes Academy Contact:
Judy Ellis, Rhodes Academy Administrator
School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire
judy.ellis@unh.edu

The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) is pleased to announce the success of the 2022 ICPC Virtual Plenary that recently took place online from 26th – 27th April. Close to 300 ICPC Members registered to attend the event, along with 45 guest observers, and over 20 invited speakers, gathered online from around the globe for over two days to listen, learn, and discuss a diverse set of topics about the vital importance of submarine cables and their protection worldwide. From the opening presentation on maritime security from NATO to a Naval speech on marine spatial planning, and on to such topics as submarine cable permitting, fibre optic monitoring and ocean ecosystems, the Plenary remained fully engaged with its listeners and participants.

Newly elected ICPC Chairman, Mr Graham Evans commented: ‘Although the ICPC Executive Committee had to make the tough decision to hold the 2022 ICPC Plenary online due to travel restrictions for many of our ICPC Members, we felt it was in the best interest to host this year’s Plenary virtually. However, we had a great turnout with lively Member interactions, a wide array of presentations, and participation from government entities and those with an interest in the submarine cable community, including students attending as observers for research. We look forward to seeing you in-person next year.’

The ICPC is pleased to announce the 2023 ICPC Plenary will take place in Madrid, Spain from 18th – 20th April 2023. Stay tuned later this year for full details regarding the ‘Call for Papers’, venue details, and registration. If interested in learning more about the ICPC, its annual Plenary, or how to become a Member, please send all enquiries to secretariat@iscpc.org. For a perspective on the variety of subjects presented at the 2022 Plenary, the full programme can be viewed via the following link.