Exploring Challenges Behind Submarine Cable Installation and Repair

 


Think of the toughest jobs in the world. Laying and maintaining cables deep underwater is one of them. These cables are essential lifelines of global communication, facing extreme marine conditions, complex logistics, and inevitable geopolitical hurdles.

Each installation or maintenance challenge demands planning and precision. In this blog, we try to understand these obstacles and highlight the hidden efforts put in by marine engineers, cable ship crew, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operators, and others behind our seamless digital connectivity.

Obstacles Faced by Submarine Cables

Installation Challenges

Cables of thousands of kilometers are exposed to underwater conditions such as strong currents, rough seaband terrain, and extreme pressure. And as the depth increases, the difficulty levels also increase, sometimes exceeding 10K meters where there is immense pressure and almost freezing temperatures.

Specialised ships equipped with the dynamic positioning system are used to lay cables deep underwater. To avoid dangerous accidents and minimize risks, marine systems installation is closely monitored to prevent cable damages due to shipwreck, mountains, and trenches.

Laying deep-sea cables is like walking on ice; as rough terrain like underwater mountains and trenches demands specialized machinery, while extreme pressure, cold temperatures, and shifting currents require durable insulation and real-time tension control to prevent damage from natural forces like earthquakes and tsunamis.

Maintenance Issues

Once the cable installation process is over, another challenge begins: maintenance. Cables have to face risks such as underwater earthquakes, ship anchors, and fishing trawls, which physically damage them and cause service disruptions, making maintenance essential and challenging at the same time.

More often than not, marine cables are installed in remote locations which are difficult for repair crews to access. Plus, these repair trips are expensive too. While specialised vehicles are utilised to carry out inspection and repair processes of damaged cables, precisely navigating to these cable locations, identifying the damage, and repairing them under deep-sea conditions remains a huge challenge.

Successful Installation/Repair Issues

The onus is on engineers to navigate strong underwater currents, ensure cable installation without harming marine ecosystems. Whether the installation process succeeds or not depends on the equipment and the expertise of trained specialists.

Looking for India’s most reliable industrial cable manufacturer? DICABS offers high-quality power equipment such as cables, conductors, and transmission towers. To learn about our product specifications, please visit us here: https://dicabs.com/.


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