1. INTRODUCTION
The publication of the International Advisory Body (IAB) Report on Submarine Cable Resilience in Geneva on 10 July 2026 marks an important transition from discussion to the implementation of a global submarine cable policy. The report emphasises enhanced international cooperation, greater route diversity, stronger public-private governance, and investment in resilient connectivity ecosystems.
Within this emerging agenda, Portugal holds a particularly notable position, not only through the co-chairmanship of Prof. Sandra Maximiano (ANACOM) but also by hosting the Porto Summit 2026, which brought together more than 350 stakeholders from over 70 countries and endorsed the IAB recommendations. Moreover, the report highlights Portugal’s Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructure (OEID) as a platform that fosters dialogue among government, industry, academia, and infrastructure operators.
This Insight summarises the Report’s main conclusions and suggests that Portugal should emerge as a leading player in the digital economy by leveraging its competitive advantages in the emerging Atlantic Corridor of connectivity.
2. THE IAB 2026 REPORT
The International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience (IAB) was established in 2024 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in partnership with the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), in response to the growing strategic importance of submarine telecommunications cables and the risks they face. The report emphasises that submarine cables carry more than 99% of intercontinental data traffic and form the invisible backbone of the global digital economy, supporting financial systems, cloud services, government operations, healthcare, education, emergency communications, and international trade.
Recognising that resilience challenges extend beyond technical and engineering issues, the IAB was tasked with developing practical recommendations to strengthen international cooperation, improve preparedness and reduce vulnerabilities across the entire cable ecosystem. Its work was organised through three thematic Working Groups: 1. Timely Deployment and Repair, 2. Risk Identification, Monitoring and Mitigation, 3. Fostering Connectivity and Geographical Diversity.
The recommendations were formally endorsed by the IAB on 2 February 2026, and the explanatory reports supporting them were approved at the summit held on 10 July 2026.
2.1 Repair Timelines Are Deteriorating
One of the report’s most striking findings concerns the increasing delays in cable restoration. According to ICPC data cited by Working Group 1, average repair commencement times increased from less than 20 days in 2012 to more than 50 days in 2024 (WG1, Chapter 1, pp. 12–13). Importantly, this deterioration has occurred despite relatively stable repair vessel numbers. The report attributes the trend largely to:
a) increasingly complex permitting procedures;
b) fragmented regulatory frameworks;
c) customs and immigration delays;
d) cabotage restrictions;
e) access limitations for repair vessels; and
f) insufficient coordination among public authorities.
g) In other words, resilience challenges are becoming as much a governance issue as an engineering issue.
2.1 Geographic Concentration Creates Systemic Vulnerabilities
The report warns that the architecture of international connectivity remains highly concentrated. A substantial share of global traffic depends on a limited number of maritime chokepoints, major cable corridors, clustered landing locations, and densely interconnected cable routes. This concentration creates systemic risks because a single accident, natural disaster, or geopolitical disruption could simultaneously affect multiple networks and countries. The report identifies route diversity and infrastructure redundancy as critical resilience priorities for the coming decade.
2.2 Global Repair Capacity Is Unevenly Distributed
Working Group 1 highlights significant imbalances in repair readiness. The report estimates that approximately 70 vessels worldwide possess repair capabilities; only 20–25 vessels are actively dedicated or contracted for cable repair activity.
2.3 Cross-Cutting Themes
Although the Working Groups examined different aspects of resilience, seven common themes emerged across the report:
i) Stronger cooperation between governments and industry;
ii) Streamlined regulatory and permitting processes;
iii) Improved risk identification, monitoring and reporting;
iv) Greater route diversity and infrastructure redundancy;
v) Enhanced preparedness and repair readiness;
vi) Targeted support for vulnerable and underserved regions; and
vi) Integration of climate and environmental considerations into resilience planning.
2.4 Main Recommendations
The report’s recommendations can be grouped into five strategic pillars:
a) Regulatory Reform: The report encourages governments to establish transparent permitting frameworks, designate national Single Points of Contact (SPOCs), accelerate emergency repair authorisations, and reduce customs and cabotage barriers affecting repair operations;
b) Repair Readiness: The report recommends expanding repair vessel capacity, establishing regional maintenance hubs, strengthening mutual assistance mechanisms, and investing in specialist workforce development;
c) Risk Management: Recommendations include developing national resilience strategies informed by risk data, improving information-sharing between governments and industry, and establishing standardised reporting mechanisms for cable incidents;
d) Connectivity and Diversity: The report advocates geographically diverse routes, greater network redundancy, financing mechanisms for underserved regions, and shared infrastructure models where commercially appropriate; and
e) Security and Resilience: Finally, the report calls for regular audits and stress tests, stronger protection for landing stations, enhanced legal frameworks for cable protection, and greater investment in preventive resilience measures.
f) The report’s strategic takeaway is clear. Submarine cables are now seen and treated as critical infrastructure that influences economic competitiveness, digital sovereignty, security, and geopolitical positioning. The future challenge is no longer simply building more cables, but creating a more diversified, secure, repairable, and resilient global connectivity ecosystem capable of supporting the continued expansion of the digital economy (Executive Summary, pp. ix–xiii).
From a legal perspective, submarine cable resilience does not develop in a normative vacuum. The international regime established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), notably Article 79 concerning submarine cables on the continental shelf and Articles 112–115 governing the laying, maintenance, and protection of submarine cables beyond national jurisdiction, provides the foundational legal architecture upon which contemporary governance discussions continue to build, as cables become increasingly recognised as critical infrastructure.
3. PORTUGAL’S OPPORTUNITY AS THE ATLANTIC DIGITAL GATEWAY
The recommendation of route diversity and infrastructure redundancy is particularly relevant for Portugal. Located at the intersection of four major connectivity corridors, namely Europe–North America, Europe–South America, Europe–Africa, and transatlantic cloud and AI traffic flows, Portugal is favourably positioned to support the diversification of Europe’s international connectivity architecture.
In this context, Sines and Lisbon should be viewed not merely as cable landing sites but as strategic assets within a broader Atlantic resilience framework. As policymakers and investors seek alternatives to heavily concentrated northern European routes, Portugal offers an opportunity to strengthen redundancy, improve resilience, and support a more balanced distribution of European digital infrastructure. This aligns directly with the IAB’s call for greater geographical diversity and alternative connectivity pathways.
Connectivity infrastructure is presented as an enabler of broader economic development, digital inclusion, and national security. Consequently, Portugal’s opportunity lies not only in attracting cable landings but also in leveraging them as catalysts for:
i) Data centre development;
ii) Cloud infrastructure;
iii) Digital services;
iv) Research and innovation ecosystems; and
v) High-value digital industries.
The strategic vision for Portugal is therefore to evolve from a landing point to a gateway platform and from an infrastructure host to a driver of the Atlantic digital economy.
4. BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN ATLANTIC AI CORRIDOR
The industry conversation is rapidly shifting from cables alone to integrated ecosystems comprising connectivity, data centres, renewable energy, and AI and high-performance computing infrastructure. Within Europe, Portugal is one of the few locations that can credibly align these four dimensions. Its Atlantic position supports international connectivity. Its growing renewable energy capacity supports energy-intensive digital infrastructure. Its attractiveness to hyperscale investment supports data centre growth. Its role in emerging transatlantic data flows also positions it favourably in the expanding AI ecosystem.
Nevertheless, the emergence of AI ecosystems depends on far more than connectivity infrastructure alone. Factors such as compute capacity, access to specialised talent, research capabilities, energy security, financial investment, and effective regulatory frameworks will play equally important roles. Submarine cables are therefore a necessary component of future AI infrastructure, but not a sufficient one.
5. GOVERNANCE, INVESTMENT AND STRATEGIC INFLUENCE
One of the report’s strongest conclusions is that resilience depends upon effective cooperation among governments, regulators, industry, development institutions and international organisations. The report presents the OEID precisely as a platform capable of facilitating this coordination role in Portugal. By connecting policymakers, investors, operators and researchers, Portugal could contribute not only to infrastructure deployment but also to the international governance frameworks that increasingly shape digital resilience. The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) provides an institutional framework for fostering cooperation across the Atlantic Corridor and beyond.
In conclusion, as AI drives new connectivity needs and geopolitics heightens the criticality of submarine cables, effective cooperation is the only path to resilience. This creates an opportunity for Portugal to become a leading market and policy player across the Atlantic Connectivity Corridor.
