EE-S1 explained

Owners:Arelion
Cable Name:EE-S1
Technology:Fibre Optic DWDM
Current Capacity:unknown
Length:240 km
Topology:Single path with 6 bidirectional lines
First Use Date:June of

EE-S1 is a submarine communications cable between Sweden and Estonia. The cable is 240 km in length and it has three landing points – Kärdla (Estonia), Tallinn (Estonia) and Stavsnäs (Sweden). It became operational in June 1995.[1] [2] EE-S1 is owned by the Swedish pension fund through its ownership in Arelion. Arelion was previously called Telia Carrier and was part of Telia Group.[3]

Cable damage

In the afternoon of 7 October 2023,[3] the cable was damaged.[4] [5] Four of the total six fiberoptic cable pairs were totally destroyed and the remaining two were functional.[3] The location of the damaged cables is 70–80 meters below the sea surface according to the Swedish Navy.[3]

On 17th of Oct 2023, the damage was made public when Swedish government reported the incident. Just a few hours later,[3] the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland was ruptured. Another submarine communications cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged at approximately the same time.[6] [7] [8] Antti Kaikkonen was quoted saying "There are a bit too many coincidental coincidences for it to be coincidental".[9]

In Estionia, investigation is carried out by KAPO, The Prosecutor's Office and, and by Keskusrikospoliisi in Finland.[8] [3] Swedish submarine rescue ship HSwMS Belos (A214) is assisting in the investigation.[4] Investigation revealed that the damage was clearly man-made.[10]

Russian cargo ship Sevmorput and Chinese cargo ship Newnew Polar Bear are suspected to be involved in the incident. Both ships travelled near EE-S1 precisely at the time of damage. Sevmorputs owner Rosatom denied involvement.[3]

The same two ships also travelled near the Balticconnector precisely at the time of damage, when Norwegian seismic institute Norsar detected seismic waves.[5] The same two ships also travelled near the other damaged submarine communications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn.[5]

After the incidents, both ships travelled in pair to Northern Norway, an area dense with undersea cables and gas pipelines. Norwegian Armed Forces reprioritised part of its activities to maritime surveillance.[11] The seas in Northern Norway are heavily patrolled, but Norwegian Armed Forces declined to provide any comments to the media.[12]

Conclusions

Investigation concluded that the cable was damaged by external force, with clear marks visible on the seafloor next to the cable.[13] [14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Submarine Cable Map . Submarine Cable Map . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022071947/https://www.submarinecablemap.com/submarine-cable/sweden-estonia-ee-s-1 . live .
  2. Web site: Souisa . Hubert . Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) Submarine Cable System Map . Fiber Atlantic . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022071944/https://www.fiberatlantic.com/system/ERxk0 . live .
  3. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Finländsk polis pekar ut "intressant" ryskt fartyg – färdades över förstörd svensk kabel . Finnish police point out "interesting" Russian ship - traveled over destroyed Swedish cable . SVT Nyheter . 2023-10-18 . sv . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231021153635/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/misstankt-ryskt-fartyg-over-trasiga-undervattenskabeln . live .
  4. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Svenska marinen på plats vid förstörda undervattenskabeln . The Swedish Navy on site at the destroyed underwater cable . SVT Nyheter . 2023-10-21 . sv . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022024638/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/svenska-marinen-undersoker-forstorda-kabeln . live .
  5. Web site: Munukka . Jouni . Bonnor . Maria . Juutilainen . Ville . Eklund . Marko . Video näyttää, kuinka kaasuputkirikosta epäilty alus ylittää Ruotsi–Viro-datakaapelin: vaurio tapahtui samoihin aikoihin . The video shows how a vessel suspected of gas pipeline crime crosses the Sweden-Estonia data cable: the damage occurred at the same time . Yle Uutiset . 2023-10-20 . fi . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022072000/https://yle.fi/a/74-20056160 . live .
  6. Web site: Kauppinen . Ina . Viron ja Ruotsin välinen tietoliikennekaapeli on vaurioitunut . The communication cable between Estonia and Sweden has been damaged . Ilta-Sanomat . 2023-10-17 . fi . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022094552/https://www.is.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000009929539.html . live .
  7. Web site: The Maritime Executive . Swedish Telecom Cable Was Damaged at the Same Time as Baltic Pipeline . The Maritime Executive . 2023-10-17 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022094553/https://maritime-executive.com/article/swedish-telecom-cable-was-damaged-at-same-time-as-baltic-pipeline . live .
  8. Web site: Sabotage investigated as one possible Estonia-Sweden cable breakage cause . ERR . 2023-10-19 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022094554/https://news.err.ee/1609137785/sabotage-investigated-as-one-possible-estonia-sweden-cable-breakage-cause . live .
  9. Web site: Laisi . Erno . Antti Kaikkonen Ruotsin ja Viron välisen kaapelin vauriosta: "Liikaa samanlaisia sattumia" . Antti Kaikkonen on the damage to the cable between Sweden and Estonia: "Too many similar incidents" . Ilta-Sanomat . 2023-10-17 . fi . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231021215451/https://www.is.fi/politiikka/art-2000009929991.html . live .
  10. Web site: Prosecutor: Evidence suggests communication cable damage is man made . ERR . 2023-10-19 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022094552/https://news.err.ee/1609138901/prosecutor-evidence-suggests-communication-cable-damage-is-man-made . live .
  11. Web site: Nilsen . Thomas . Russian, Chinese ships spotlighted by Finnish police after pipeline damage, are now pairing up outside northern Norway . The Independent Barents Observer . 2023-10-18 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022101240/https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2023/10/russian-chinese-ships-spotlighted-finnish-police-after-after-gas-pipeline-damage . live .
  12. Web site: Vanhala . Akseli . KRP nimesi kaksi alusta, jotka olivat Balticconnectorin lähistöllä yön tunteina – täällä ne liikkuvat nyt . KRP named two vessels that were in the vicinity of the Balticconnector during the night hours - here they are moving . Ilta-Sanomat . 2023-10-18 . fi . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231021173324/https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000009931566.html . live .
  13. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Försvarsmakten: Vi ser bottenspår intill trasiga kabeln . SVT Nyheter . 2023-10-24 . sv . 2023-12-12.
  14. Web site: Nyheter . SVT . Försvarsmaktens utredning visar – kabeln skadades av yttre påverkan . SVT Nyheter . 2023-10-23 . sv . 2023-12-12.

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