The interruption in Cinia’s C-Lion1 subsea data cable has been repaired, and the direct connection between Finland and Germany has been fully restored and is now operational. The fault was detected on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 4:04 a.m., and repair work in Sweden’s economic zone, east of Öland, was completed on Thursday, November 28, at 9 p.m. Finnish time. The repairs were completed slightly ahead of the initial estimate, despite the need to bring specialized equipment from outside the Baltic Sea region. As soon as the fault was identified, the repair vessel Cable Vigilance, which was stationed in France, was dispatched to prepare for the cable’s repair. The operation commenced promptly thanks to precise operational protocols.
Investigation into the Cause of the Cable Break Continues
The exact cause of the cable break is not yet known. On November 19, 2024, Cinia filed a request for investigation with the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which continues to lead the inquiry. All updates related to the investigation will be provided by the NBI.
“Subsea cables are highly reliable, but today’s communication networks are always secured through multiple alternative routes. The protection of critical underwater infrastructure must be improved, and international regulations need to be strengthened to increase the risk of being caught for intentional sabotage,” says Cinia’s CEO, Ari-Jussi Knaapila.
Disruptions Minimized Through Alternative Routes
Thanks to alternative routes and rapid repair efforts, the outage did not cause significant disruptions to Finland’s communication networks.
“This demonstrates that the redundancy in Finland’s communication networks is well-suited to current needs. However, future demands will increase, making it critical to develop new alternative connections from a national perspective,” Knaapila adds.
C-Lion1
C-Lion1 is a subsea communication cable owned by Cinia, connecting Finland and Germany with a total length of 1,173 kilometers. The cable was commissioned in 2016 and links Central Europe’s communication networks to Finland and other Nordic countries.
Cinia
Cinia is a company primarily owned by the Finnish government, which has assigned the company a mission of strategic importance: to strengthen Finland’s digital connectivity and cybersecurity by diversifying international communication links and developing critical information systems for society.
Cinia is actively involved in the planning and development of a northern subsea cable system that will create a new route between Asia and Europe, with Finland and other parts of Northern Europe along the way. The 14,000-kilometer-long cable is planned to traverse the Arctic region, establishing an entirely new communication link between Asia, North America, and Europe. Cinia is part of an international consortium preparing for the construction of the cable. Once completed, the cable will enhance and secure existing communication networks while creating another route connecting Finland to the world.
“Efficient and fast connections also increase Finland’s attractiveness as a location for data centers, and the growing number of data centers requires faster and more extensive connections. We have extensive experience in developing critical information systems, infrastructures, and cybersecurity, and based on this foundation, we will continue to improve and diversify Finland’s connections in the future,” Knaapila concludes.
