The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) is a submarine cable protection non-profit organisation. It was formed in 1958 to promote the protection of international telecommunications and power submarine cables against human and natural hazards. It provides a forum for the exchange of technical, legal, and environmental information about submarine cables and engages with stakeholders and governments globally to promote submarine cable protection. The ICPC has over 190 Member organisations from over 69 nations, including cable operators, owners, manufacturers, industry service providers, as well as governments. The ICPC provides information related to submarine cables generally, best practices for cable protection, and applicable international law and treaties. Over 99% of the world's intercontinental electronic communications traffic is carried by the undersea cable infrastructure. Likewise, submarine power cables underpin the global expansion of offshore renewable energy generation. As such, the impact of failures of these critical telecommunications and power cables can be devastating to social and economic stability. This is why submarine cables are classified as "critical infrastructure" that is to be protected worldwide from physical damage due to human made or natural causes.
Prime activities of the ICPC The ICPC seeks to promote and protect freedoms to install and maintain submarine telecommunications and power transmission cables and mitigate risks of damage to those cables. It works with governments, other marine industries, international organisations (including various United Nations bodies), and NGOs to promote cable awareness, cable protection best practices, and effective international agreements. The ICPC actively participates in the negotiation of multilateral treaties relating to the oceans and monitors the development and implementation of other international agreements and national legislation in order to ensure cable protection and resilience. The ICPC supports peer-reviewed research into the interactions of cables with the marine environment to provide an evidence-based foundation for those interactions. It commissions and encourages peer-reviewed research on the environmental characteristics of cables. The organisation also promulgates recommendations for cable installation, protection, and maintenance. As directed by its executive committee, ICPC has prioritised work on the following issues: (1) cable awareness and reduction of cable damage risks (particularly from fishing and anchoring); (2) mitigating risks of deep seabed mining, including effective charting of cables in the deep ocean; (3) promoting cable security; (4) ensuring appropriate treatment of submarine cables under a new international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ); and (5) continuing development of ICPC Recommendations. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the ICPC has devoted significant effort to ensure that governments and industry take effective measures to ensure installation and repair of submarine cables continue during the tumultuous time because the world's reliance on submarine cables increased considerably. In April 2020, ICPC issued its “Call to Action” that proposed practical measures to ensure efficient conduct of submarine cable activities while protecting public health. In early 2022, the ICPC published the document (in English, French and Spanish translations), “Government Best Practices for Protecting and Promoting Resilience of Submarine Telecommunications Cables” to assist governments in developing laws, policies, and practices to foster the development and protection of submarine telecommunications cables, the infrastructure of the Internet. In addition, a Best Practices Annex, titled: “Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) - Risks to Submarine Cable Deployment and Operations,” identifies recommended actions for governments to protect submarine telecommunications cables from interactions with Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) that are known to pose risk to marine vessel operations and damage cables during and after their installation. In presenting these Best Practices, the ICPC encourages government and industry discussions on this topic to ensure appropriate steps can be taken at a national and regional level to maintain continuity of critical telecommunications infrastructure.
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