Protecting the subsea cables on which the global economy depends

ESCA (European Subsea Cables Association) exists to promote and ensure subsea cable safety

Our world is crisscrossed by an ever growing network of subsea cables carrying the communications traffic on which the global economy depends and, to an increasing degree, transmitting green energy generated by offshore clean generation, mainly using wind power today, to land where is can be used in domestic, commercial and industrial applications. Those cables have the potential to be vulnerable to the activities of other ocean users while, at the same time, having the potential to disrupt or damage other ocean users and their equipment. Therefore, an organised programme to ensure protection of and from cables is an vital requirement for the sector. That organised programme is ESCA.

The Origins Of Esca

ICPC (The International Cable Protection Committee) was formed in 1958 to protect cables and reduce faults worldwide. Following that, in 1999, UKCPC (United Kingdom Cable Protection Committee) was established and subsequently became Subsea Cables UK and then ESCA (European Subsea Cables Association) in 2016.

ESCA aims to support effective cable fault prevention through engagement, sharing common experiences and learning through interaction with other cable owners. The association also sets out to achieve effective engagement with regulatory bodies, NGOs and statutory consultees on environmental issues and marine spatial planning, while keeping at the forefront and fully up to date with an ever changing legislative environment.

One initiative has been to provide fishermen with information about cable routes and other physical details (e.g. repeaters, splices, etc.), together with emergency contact numbers and procedures. Originally called KIS-CA this project started in 2002 and subsequently became KIS-ORCA (The Kingfisher Information Service — Offshore Renewable & Cable Awareness) with the introduction of power and renewables in 2012 and the involvement of Renewable UK.

Esca Membership Elegibility

ESCA is the membership organisation for owners and operators of power cables (Inter-island, interconnectors and OFTOs — Offshore Transmission Owners), telecommunications cables, offshore renewables, oil and gas, cable suppliers, installers, maintenance, consultants, cable protection organisations and governments. Cable system owners join as full members, and suppliers, consultants and other organisations who are involved with subsea cables (Government members etc.) as associate members. All 71 members come together with a common aim to provide a voice for the cable industry, and engage with other sea users and seabed asset owners in an increasingly busy and crowded environment.

Esca Activities

ESCA holds two plenary sessions each year in Europe, generally during March and September, with approximately 150 member attendees. The association publishes newsletters, maintains websites and conducts secretarial activities, disseminating to members important information on regulatory changes or significant consultations. It also issues and updates technical guidelines for industry and stakeholders, and produces KIS-ORCA cable awareness charts, as well as conducting port tours which have been the basis for very effective engagement with fisheries across Europe to reduce and prevent cable faults from occurring.

The Value Of Telecoms Cables

Telecoms cables carry more than 99% of international telecoms traffic and the The UK’s subsea telecoms cables alone carry $1.9 trillion per day in (cross border) Foreign Exchange trades: that amounts to around 23% of the world’s total Foreign Exchange trading. International exports generate c£545 billion p.a. in UK GVA (Gross Value Added) and more than a quarter of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

International commerce is reliant on subsea cables. The combined width of all UK’s subsea telecoms cables laid side by side would be 1.9 metres and the latest cable technology can carry up to 250 megabits per second. Domestic cables provide essential services (blue light etc.) and connectivity between the various parts of the UK.

What Power Cables Do

TenneT (a transmission system operator in the Netherlands and in a large part of Germany ) estimates that a grid connection with a 900 Megawatt capacity can supply 1 million households with green energy. The offshore Wind Farm Hornsea Two will have a capacity of over 1.3GW and provide power to more than 1.3 million homes. Subsea cables are vital to distribute energy to island communities who are reliant on these vital services. As part of the process to reach Net Zero targets by 2050, green energy such as offshore generation will have to be delivering 50GW by 2030 and it will all need to be delivered through subsea cables from offshore wind farms to land. Cables for Offshore Renewables and power interconnectors are vital to meet these ambitious targets.

Aims And Direction For Esca

Although it is difficult to quantify, in 2016, economic analysis for the UK valued the subsea cable sector at a staggering £62.8bn for telecoms and £2.8bn for electricity cables. ESCA works to inform marine policy and technical input to assist decision making. The association also promotes the role of cables as critical international infrastructure that society relies upon more every day plus, of course, the need to and means to protect their vulnerability. As part of this, the KIS-ORCA Project has been a huge success for active fault prevention and engagement

HOW KIS-ORCA SUPPORTS CABLE SECURITY

KIS-ORCA has created an interactive map that other sea users, such as fishing industries, can consult in order to avoid their operations damaging or being compromised by subsea cables. Further information is communicated through the Kingfisher bulletin. The KIS-ORCA programme is organized by industry for cable awareness and maritime safety through shared good practice. It is already respected by the fishing industry; protecting cables from fishing gear also protects fishing gear from cables.

Submarine Cable Resilience

Recent events around NordStream have drawn media attention to the vulnerabilities of seabed infrastructure and the potential threat that poses. There is a history of threats such as this.

In 1898, during SpanishAmerican War, the United States cut cables (some owned by British and French companies) connecting Cuba to Florida, Haiti, Jamaica, and St. Thomas, as well as cables connecting Philippines to Hong Kong. Then, in 1914, Britain used C.S. Alert to cut German cables, forcing the traffic onto British cables and increasing interception risk. Later in the First World War, in 1917-18, German submarines cut cables connecting the Azores, Britain, Canada, Gibraltar, Panama, Portugal, and USA. More recently, in 2013, SEA-MEWE-4 and other cables were cut near Alexandria, Egypt. However the primary causes of damage to submarine cable come from human activities,