Anchor damage to submarine power cables – How can that happen and what can be done to avoid?

Abstract

Many submarine cables are damaged by anchors every year. Cable owners and insurance companies suffer substantial monetary losses in such incidents. They might wonder why this can happen in times when all submarine cables are mapped thoroughly on sea charts and vessels navigate with accurate satellite based navigations systems. This article explains why the risk of anchor damage to submarine power cables still exists.

This article explains different types of anchor entanglement with submarine power cables, notably emergency anchoring and unintentional anchor dropping. 

Published statistics on damages on submarine power cables need to be evaluated with great care.  Using them for asset management or risk assessment in specific projects might render inaccurate results.

Some legal aspects are touched. These aspects are particularly complex since submarine cable damage incidents often occur in international waters where the applicable jurisdiction is not quite clear.

Finally, some improvements are suggested for both cable owners and vessel owners, which possibly can increase the safety of submarine power cables.