ICPC Members from around the globe contributed to a successful annual Plenary with the theme of ‘unmissable insights and challenges related to submarine cable planning, installation, protection, and maintenance’.
May 23, 2017
The 50th International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) Plenary session was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 25-27 April 2017. ICPC Members from around the globe contributed to a successful annual Plenary with the theme of unmissable insights and challenges related to submarine cable planning, installation, protection, and maintenance. Attendees gained insight from the Plenary highlights, which included talks and expert panel sessions on a wide range of highly relevant topics.
Minister Carolina Cosse, Minister of Industries, Energy and Mining for Uruguay, welcomed ICPC Members to Uruguay in her opening keynote speech. In her address, Minister Cosse highlighted the many social and economic projects Uruguay is undertaking to make it the number one country to do business in South America.
Another highly respected invited guest, Professor Kristina Gjerde, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, discussed how the cable laying community might also be able to contribute to Ocean Management through observation of the Global Ocean Depths.
Additionally, among the multitude of informative lectures, two highly-engaging topics were presented—one covering environmental change in the Arctic Ocean and a second concerning the uncertainties and issues relating to the future of US Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), specifically, recently created Marine National Monuments. Coincidentally, the latter topic was the subject of an Executive Order issued by US President Trump for the Secretary of the Interior to review all National Monuments formed over the last two decades.
Delegates also gained insight from a broad range of viewpoints including legal, technological and geological factors—all critical to better understanding the uniqueness of submarine cable deployments. One of the most significant benefits of these annual gatherings is the opportunity to listen to not only the crucial information disseminated to the ICPC’s Members, but also the critically important opportunity to engage in face-to-face lively discussions to constantly improve the ICPC’s goal to share the seabed in harmony with others. Taken together, this is precisely what made ICPC’s 50th Plenary such a well-attended and great success.
The International Cable Protection Committee was formed in 1958 and its primary goal is to promote the safeguarding of international submarine cables against man-made and natural hazards. The organisation provides a forum for the exchange of technical, legal and environmental information about submarine cables and, with more than 160 members from over 60 nations, including cable operators, owners, manufacturers, industry service providers, as well as governments, it is the World’s premier submarine cable organisation.
