The subsea cable cut at Svalbard January 2022: What happened, what were the consequences, and how were they managed?

Policy Brief
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Themes
The Nordic countries  Oceans  Energy
Written by

Niels Nagelhus Schia

Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Research group on security and defense, Head of NUPI's Research Centere on New Technology

 

Ida Rødningen

PRIO

Summary:

Svalbard is, like most other societies, largely dependent on an internet connection. The fiber connection on Svalbard consists of two separate subsea cables that connect Longyearbyen to the mainland. In some areas the cables were buried about two meters below the seabed, especially in areas where fishing is done, to “protect against destruction of the fishing fleet’s bottom trawling or anchoring of ships.

(New version uploaded 18 January 2023)