Submarine cable redundancy and global network connectivity

Submarine fiber optic cables carry over 95% of global data traffic, making network redundancy critical for preventing regional isolation and service disruptions caused by natural disasters, ship anchors, or sabotage. Redundancy is achieved through multiple cable systems, such as SEA-ME-WE and 2Africa, diverse routing, and peering with global Internet Exchanges.

Recent incidents highlight the vulnerability of these networks. In September 2025, damage to the SMW4 and IMEWE systems near Jeddah caused internet slowdowns across Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, and the UAE. Researchers noted 44 cable-damage incidents across 32 locations globally between 2024 and mid-2025.

In regions like the Middle East, which serves as a primary data route between Europe and Asia, the concentration of traffic in a few undersea corridors increases risk. For sectors such as offshore energy, which increasingly relies on remote monitoring and unmanned platforms, stable connectivity is essential for real-time operations and safety-critical systems.