Data management - a step forward in cable protection

Marine construction activity near existing submarine cables can damage them, leading to interruptions in service and costly repairs. Last minute discovery of submarine cables during marine project planning increases costs and delays projects. Builders of new projects can be unaware of existing cables, unaware of the damage they can cause, or unaware of the impact. While not all marine spatial data can be made available to all project planners, there are ways to improve upon the current practices. A lack of coordination regarding federally planned and authorized projects and cables contributes to risks to existing cables and costs of new construction projects. Better use of curated, discoverable data by agencies could lead to decreased costs and more predictable schedules for new cable projects, and reduce the potential for damage to existing systems.