Turbidity currents, nature’s underwater bulldozers, are making waves in the maritime industry, and not in a good way. These high-energy currents, triggered by events like river flooding, volcanic eruptions, or earthquakes, are wreaking havoc on submarine cables, particularly those laid across submarine canyons. The problem is so severe that it’s got the industry sitting up and taking notice.
These currents, driven by gravity, pick up sediment and move downslope, causing significant damage to cables. They can erode the seabed, exposing buried cables to further damage. They can also move suspended cables, causing abrasion at touchdown points, and debris carried by the flow can impact and sever cables. It’s a triple threat that’s leaving the industry reeling.
The numbers tell a stark story. Globally, around 200 faults have occurred within the mapped boundaries of submarine canyons since 1965. Excluding those caused by human activity or intrinsic cable failure, that leaves 118 faults, or roughly two per year. But here’s the kicker: since January 2020, 37 faults have been recorded within submarine canyons, and a whopping 65% of those are thought to have been due to natural processes like turbidity currents. That’s a stark contrast to the global dataset, where natural causes made up less than 18% of faults over the same period.
This isn’t just a problem for the here and now; it’s a wake-up call for the future. As our reliance on submarine cables for communication and data transfer continues to grow, so does the need to protect these vital arteries from the ravages of turbidity currents. The industry is already taking steps, with route engineering teams factoring in the risk of canyons and turbidity currents at the earliest stages of route design. But this is just the beginning.
The future of the maritime industry will likely see a greater focus on understanding and mitigating the risks posed by turbidity currents. This could mean more advanced monitoring systems to predict and track these currents, or innovative cable designs that can withstand their erosive power. It could also mean a shift in where and how we lay our cables, with a greater emphasis on avoiding high-risk areas.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. This challenge also presents an opportunity for innovation and growth. Companies that can develop effective solutions to protect cables from turbidity currents will be in high demand. And as our understanding of these currents improves, so too will our ability to protect the vital infrastructure that underpins our connected world.
The industry is already aware of the impact that canyons and turbidity currents can have on new systems and takes this into account at the earliest stages of route design, minimizing the risk. This is a proactive approach that should be commended and built upon. But it’s clear that more needs to be done. The future of the maritime industry depends on it.