Submarine Cables Are A Vital Link Between Continents, Allowing For High-Speed Communication, Data Transfer And Online Connectivity

Submarine Cables

 

The world’s Internet is dependent on submarine cables, which are sometimes called the “world’s information super-highways.” The telecommunications network connecting continents and islands around the globe carries about 95 percent of global data. The cables crisscross oceans, follow the coast of entire continents and are buried in deep seas for protection. They are a vital part of the world and a critical element of the global economy. However, they are also vulnerable.

Fiber optic submarine cables rely on the property of pure glass fibers to guide light signals over long distances. To ensure the signal doesn’t lose strength over time, the cable uses amplifiers along the way. These are placed about every 70 km to provide sufficient bandwidth and low latency.

The Submarine Cables Market is estimated to account for US$ 7,321.2  Mn in terms of value by the end of 2030.

These amplifiers are powered with electricity from both ends of the cable. When one end loses power, the other power source can continue to supply the amplifiers and maintain the integrity of the cable signal. This is a critical safety feature.

Whereas the submarine cable industry is also facing increasing security threats from hackers and other malicious actors who seek to use the undersea cables to achieve their own objectives. This can be anything from disrupting military or government communications during a conflict to cutting off internet access for a targeted population for economic or geopolitical reasons.

To mitigate these risks, international organizations have pushed for countries to create national risk assessment procedures that ensure any projects that will lay submarine cables in their waters are closely scrutinized to avoid security breaches. In the United States, for example, an interagency group known as Team Telecom reviews all cable projects that will land on U.S. shores to identify potential vulnerabilities.

There are two types of vulnerability for subsea cables: physical and digital. Physical vulnerabilities can be caused by anything from marine accidents to ship anchors and trawling gear getting caught on a submarine cable. The most common cause of a cable fault is damage to the sheathing or armor layer, which can allow salt water in and interfere with the optical fibers inside. Repairing these cables requires a cable ship to be sent to the location, splicing the damaged section and reattaching the ends.

These companies are involved in a number of major projects globally and supply submarine cable components to large oil and gas companies, as well as high-speed underwater power transmission systems. They also offer turnkey solutions for offshore wind energy projects.

NEC Corporation and Global Marine Systems Limited signed a four-year charter agreement in October 2022, in the United Kingdom. Through this agreement, the NEC will help in strengthening their submarine cable system provision.