Red Sea dispute threatens major internet cables

Most internet traffic between Europe and East Asia is routed through undersea cables that funnel into a narrow strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. This chokepoint has long posed a risk to telecommunications infrastructure due to heavy shipping traffic, increasing the likelihood that an accidental anchor drop could hit the cable. In Yemen, attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis have made the region even more dangerous.

The latest red flag emerged on February 24, when three undersea internet cables running through the region suddenly ceased service in some markets. Doug Madley, director of internet analysis at network research firm Kentic, said the cuts weren’t enough to cut off any country, but they immediately caused web service to deteriorate in India, Pakistan and parts of East Africa. .

The cause of the shutdown was not immediately clear. Some communications experts pointed out that the cargo ship Rubimar was abandoned by its crew after being attacked by the Houthis on February 18. The disabled ship has been drifting in the area for more than a week after dropping her anchor.

Yemen’s Houthi-backed communications ministry in Sanaa issued a statement denying responsibility for the submarine cable failure and reiterating that the government is “keen to keep all submarine communication cables… away from all dangers.” attack.

Mauritius-based cable owner Seacom, which owns one of the damaged lines, said repairs would require “significant logistical coordination” and its marketing director Claudia Ferro said repairs would be carried out on a second It said it should start early in the quarter. If permitted, that schedule may change depending on local unrest and weather conditions.

“Our team believes it may have been affected by anchor damage, but this has not yet been confirmed,” Ferro said.

Cable ships move at very high speeds, making laying new cables near disputed waters a dangerous and expensive task. The cost of insuring some cable ships near Yemen soared to $150,000 a day earlier this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

Yemen’s nearly 10-year civil war has further complicated the situation. Houthi rebels control much of the western part of the country along the Red Sea, while the internationally recognized government controls the eastern part. Companies laying cables in the region are seeking licenses from regulators on both sides to avoid conflicts with authorities on both sides, other sources said.

Rising business costs are also threatening tech giants’ efforts to expand the internet. The Google-backed Blue Raman system and Facebook’s 2Africa cable both pass through the region and are currently under construction. Two more projects backed by telecom companies will also build lines through the Red Sea.

According to network research firm Telegeography, most of the Internet’s intercontinental data traffic travels by sea. Submarine cables are easier and cheaper to construct than overland cables, but laying them underwater comes with certain risks. Cable operators report about 150 service outages a year, most of them due to accidental damage caused by fishing or dragging anchors, according to the International Cable Protection Board, a UK-based industry group. .

“Having alternative routes around congested areas like the Red Sea is always important, but perhaps even more so in times of conflict,” ICPC general manager Ryan Wopshall said.

Several Internet companies are looking at ways to diversify connections between Europe, Africa, and Asia. For example, a shipping route across Saudi Arabia could completely bypass the waters surrounding Yemen. But regulators in many countries impose high fees or other hurdles that make it more attractive to stick to the tried-and-true route.

“The industry, like any other industry, is reacting to the conditions set, and navigation in Yemeni waters is a result of that,” Wopshall said.

Benoit Faucon contributed to this article.

Email Drew Fitzgerald at andrew.fitzgerald@wsj.com.