WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE THOSE PESKY CABLESHIPS?

BY KIERAN CLARK

As we approach the end of the second quarter of 2023, it’s the perfect time to once again ask: Where in the World Are All Those Pesky Cableships?

SubTel Forum tracks AIS updates every 6 hours from 53 vessels that make up the global cable ship fleet. Between March 3 and May 3, the cableship fleet logged 14,043 AIS updates based on SubTel Forum’s tracking system. Nearly half of these updates, 6,897 out of 14,043, indicated no movement speed during this 60-day period, showing no significant change in overall activity compared to the previous period. This lack of movement is generally attributed to ship repairs, scheduled maintenance, and upgrades. For this edition of Where in The World Are Those Pesky Cableships, our analysts have created an updated heat map showing where the cable ship fleet was most active around the world. Red, orange, and then yellow indicate the highest amount of activity, while lower activity is represented by increasing shades of blue. As indicated by the heat map, the main AIS zones of activity over the past 60 days were China Coast (7%), East Asia (13.5%), Indian Coast (5.5%), North East Atlantic Ocean (7%), and South East Asia (9%). From the total 26 AIS zones, these five accounted for 42 percent of all AIS activity for the cable ship fleet.

The hotspots of activity in these regions can be attributed to new system installations, as well as repairs and maintenance of existing infrastructure. Comparing the busiest regions to the activity observed in March, some have remained constant, while others have shifted. For example, East Asia and North East Atlantic Ocean continue to be among the top areas of activity, while China Coast and Indian Coast have emerged as new hotspots this time around. The change in the busiest regions is typically due to active submarine cable builds in these areas and increased maintenance activities compared to other regions of the world over any given time period.

The cable ship fleet has experienced significant growth and changes in vessel ownership distribution in recent years, reflecting the industry’s adaptation to evolving market dynamics. Despite the addition of new vessels and the conversion of existing ones, there is still concern that there is a cable ship capacity crunch. Many installers are fully booked through 2024, and external vessels are being hired on a more frequent basis to keep up with project workloads. The overall age of the fleet remains high –between 20 and 30 years old – with only a handful of new, modern vessels coming into service over the last few years.

As the industry moves towards sustainable practices, the cable ship fleet has seen the introduction of energy-efficient vessels that contribute to lowering its environmental impact. This trend signals a strong commitment by the industry to prioritize sustainability while meeting the increasing demand for connectivity.

The cable ship fleet continues to be busy with new system installations and repairs, responding to the growing need for connectivity in various regions worldwide. While some hotspots of activity remain constant, others have shifted, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of the submarine cable industry. The ongoing challenge is to keep up with the ever-increasing demand while embracing sustainability and innovation. STF

KIERAN CLARK is the Lead Analyst for SubTel Forum. He originally joined SubTel Forum in 2013 as a Broadcast Technician to provide support for live event video streaming. He has 6+ years of live production experience and has worked alongside some of the premier organizations in video web streaming. In 2014, Kieran was promoted to Analyst and is currently responsible for the research and maintenance that supports the Submarine Cable Database. In 2016, he was promoted to Lead Analyst and his analysis is featured in almost the entire array of Subtel Forum Publications.