Damaging a cable on the seabed off the UK coast could soon cost someone 14 years of their life behind bars, under plans the British government published this week. The proposal comes from a White Paper by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that would update laws protecting undersea cables and pipelines, some […]
Damaging a cable on the seabed off the UK coast could soon cost someone 14 years of their life behind bars, under plans the British government published this week.
The proposal comes from a White Paper by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that would update laws protecting undersea cables and pipelines, some of which date back 140 years.
The plans include unlimited fines for ship owners whose vessels damage the infrastructure, new security obligations for subsea telecoms cable companies, and powers that would let the government step in when national security is at risk.
According to the UK government, undersea cables carry around 99% of the country’s international data and support everyday services from messaging and video calls to online banking and shopping. The UK’s energy supply leans heavily on the same seabed, with undersea pipelines delivering 74% of its gas and undersea electricity cables bringing power from Europe and from offshore wind farms.
Telecoms Minister Ian Murray described the cables as infrastructure “carrying the data we rely on every day to message friends and family, do our banking, and run our businesses.”
“We intend to modernise those laws with tougher penalties, stronger requirements on industry and new powers to protect our national security,” he said.
Russian activity behind the push
The government links the overhaul to growing threats against undersea infrastructure, including suspicious Russian activity in UK waters. In April, the British Armed Forces exposed a covert Russian submarine operation around undersea infrastructure in and around UK waters.
Officials say the UK’s subsea cable network is highly resilient, and that the cable faults that do occur come from accidents involving anchors or trawler nets dragged along the seabed, from environmental hazards or from technical failures.
“Undersea cables carry the energy and data our country relies on every day. Protecting them is vital to our national security. We’re toughening the law to stay ahead of those who seek to do us harm,” noted Security Minister Dan Jarvis.
Prison terms and new duties for cable operators
The proposed offences would cover people who damage undersea energy and telecoms infrastructure intentionally, recklessly or negligently, with prison sentences of up to 14 years for intentional damage.
Companies running subsea telecoms cables would have to meet new security and resilience duties, including stronger requirements to identify and manage risks to their networks.
The Secretary of State would gain a national security direction power to instruct providers of subsea telecoms cable infrastructure and repair capabilities “where necessary and proportionate in the interests of national security.”
The government could use these powers to require providers to protect cables from threats such as sabotage or espionage.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the legislation “will further strengthen deterrence and help ensure we can prevent, detect, and respond to threats against our energy supply.”
Sensors on the cables
The White Paper proposes a separate regulatory regime for fibre optic sensing technology installed on subsea cables, including sensors built into telecoms and energy infrastructure. The technology can detect activity at sea, but the government warns it could pose national security risks if sensitive data fell into the wrong hands.
Publication of the White Paper opens a 12-week public consultation. The government is asking industry, experts and members of the public to send their views to help shape the final proposals.
