Submarine Cable System Market

Submarine Cable System Market Overview:

Submarine Cable System Market Size is valued at $30.7 Billion by 2031, and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period 2025-2031. Submarine cable systems are essential infrastructure enabling global telecommunications and energy transmission across continents. These cables, laid on the ocean floor, primarily consist of communication and power cables. Fiber optic communication cables dominate the market, driven by soaring data demands from cloud computing, internet services, and intercontinental digital connectivity. Power cables in submarine systems are vital for transmitting electricity, especially from offshore renewable energy projects like wind farms. Though holding a smaller market share than communication cables, power cables are gaining traction due to rising investments in green energy and cross-border electricity transmission infrastructure, supporting energy security and sustainability goals.

Submarine Cable System Market - Report Coverage:

The “Submarine Cable System Market Report - Forecast (2025-2031)” by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments in the Submarine Cable System Market.

COVID-19 / Ukraine Crisis - Impact Analysis:  

• The COVID-19 pandemic initially disrupted the submarine cable industry due to lockdowns, labor shortages, and delays in manufacturing and cable-laying activities. However, it also highlighted the critical importance of global connectivity as remote work, online education, and digital services surged. This drove accelerated investment in new communication cable systems, particularly in underserved regions. Despite early setbacks, the sector rebounded strongly, with increased demand for bandwidth prompting governments and private firms to fast-track projects and expand subsea network capacities worldwide.
• The Russia-Ukraine war heightened geopolitical risks around submarine cable routes and infrastructure security. Concerns over potential sabotage and network vulnerability led to increased scrutiny of cable installations in the Black Sea and nearby regions. Insurance premiums for cable projects rose, and countries began reassessing dependencies on certain routes. The conflict also prompted strategic investments in alternative pathways and enhanced resilience planning. Additionally, it intensified regulatory discussions on protecting critical communications infrastructure from state and non-state actors in volatile regions.

Key Takeaways:

• Self-contained Oil-filled Cable Dominates the Submarine Cable System Market

On the basis of type, Self-contained Oil-filled Cable held the highest segmental market share of around 45% in 2024. Self-contained oil-filled cables are a specialized technology used in high-voltage submarine power transmission. These cables employ oil-impregnated paper as insulation, where the oil acts both as an electrical insulator and a heat dissipater. This design is especially beneficial for systems under high electrical stress, such as High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) setups, and offers enhanced protection against water intrusion in subsea environments. Their strong dielectric properties and effective cooling make them ideal for long-distance, high-power underwater applications. However, the submarine cable market also includes mass-impregnated cables and those with extruded insulation like cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). Each type is selected based on project-specific needs, including voltage levels, transmission distance, and environmental conditions. For example, the Black Sea Energy subsea project’s first phase is expected to be completed by 2030, focused on green electricity transmission to Europe, also explored integrating optical cables, reflecting a growing trend toward hybrid solutions that support both power and data transmission in modern submarine cable systems.

• Communication Cable Leads the Submarine Cable System Market

On the basis of application, Communication Cable held the highest segmental market share of around 85% in 2024. Communication cables represent the largest segment of the submarine cable system market, driven by surging global demand for data and seamless internet connectivity. A prime example is Meta Platforms’ Project Waterworth, announced in February 2025, a 50,000-kilometer subsea cable initiative aimed at boosting global data infrastructure, particularly to support AI and digital services. In India, data transmission capacity is expected to quadruple by 2025, fueled by the deployment of several new submarine communication cables. The 2025 Telegeography Submarine Cable Map highlights this massive expansion, showing 597 active or under-construction cable systems, most designed for communication. Key drivers include the steady rise in internet users and growing digital data consumption across regions, both of which necessitate high-capacity global connectivity. As a result, investments continue to pour into laying and upgrading communication cables beneath the oceans. This sustained momentum cements communication cables as the backbone of the submarine cable market, far outpacing other cable system segments in scale and importance.

• Growing Demand for Submarine Cable System Market Due to Increasing Volume of Data Traversing the Internet

The growing volume of internet data demands continuous expansion of global network infrastructure. In 2024, internet users reached an estimated 5.5 billion, about 68% of the world’s population, up from 5.3 billion in 2023. This expanding user base engages in bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming, gaming, and social media, driving increased demand for capacity. Mobile devices, as the dominant access point, further amplify this trend. By April 2025, mobile accounted for 63.15% of global web traffic, up from 57.94% in December 2023 and 60.28% in December 2022. The surge in mobile usage necessitates robust, high-capacity infrastructure. International bandwidth demand grew by 29% in 2024 to over 6.4 Pbps, marking a threefold increase since 2020. Although the growth rate has slowed since its 2020 peak, the overall trend remains strong. Notably, this growth is uneven globally—regions like Africa are experiencing especially high rates, underscoring the urgent need for targeted infrastructure investment in emerging markets.

• Negative Impact on the Submarine Cable System Market Due to Ensuring the Resilience and Security of Submarine Cable Infrastructure

Ensuring the resilience and security of submarine cable infrastructure remains a critical challenge. Several major outages in 2023 and 2024 revealed the network’s vulnerability to both accidental damage and potential sabotage. A notable incident occurred in February 2024, when four of the over 15 cables running through the Red Sea—a vital route for internet traffic between Asia and Europe—were severely damaged, demonstrating the risks posed by geographic chokepoints. These disruptions can cause widespread connectivity issues, emphasizing the need for robust protection. Growing concerns over sabotage, including reports of suspicious activity by merchant vessels, have further elevated the geopolitical significance of submarine cables. Despite technological advances, the infrastructure remains physically susceptible, demanding continuous improvements in protection and rapid repair capabilities. The heavy concentration of cables in strategic areas like the Red Sea creates potential single points of failure. This highlights the urgent need for route diversification, redundancy, and enhanced international cooperation to safeguard global communications infrastructure.

Key Market Players: 

Product launches, approvals, patents and events, acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations are key strategies adopted by players in the Submarine Cable System Market. The top 10 companies in this industry are listed below:

1. Alcatel Submarine Networks
2. Prysmian Group
3. SubCom, LLC
4. NEC Corporation
5. Fujitsu Ltd
6. Global Marine Group
7. HMN Technologies Co., Ltd.
8. IT International Telecom Inc.
9. LS Cable & System Ltd
10. Nexans SA

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

1.Global Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Global Industry Research
1.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Global Industry Research
1.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
1.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)
2.Global Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units) - Global Industry Research
2.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units) - Global Industry Research
2.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
2.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 (Volume/Units)
3.North America Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
3.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
3.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
3.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.South America Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
4.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
4.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
4.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.Europe Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
5.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
5.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
5.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.APAC Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
6.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
6.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
6.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.MENA Submarine Communication Cable Market By Component Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.1 Dry Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
7.1.1 Submarine Line Terminal Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.1.2 Submarine Line Monitor Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.1.3 Power Feeding Equipment Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.2 Wet Plant Products Market 2023-2030 ($M) - Regional Industry Research
7.2.1 Repeater Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.2.2 Branching Unit Market 2023-2030 ($M)
7.2.3 Cables Market 2023-2030 ($M)

LIST OF FIGURES

1.US Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
2.Canada Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
3.Mexico Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
4.Brazil Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
5.Argentina Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
6.Peru Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
7.Colombia Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
8.Chile Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
9.Rest of South America Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
10.UK Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
11.Germany Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
12.France Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
13.Italy Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
14.Spain Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
15.Rest of Europe Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
16.China Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
17.India Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
18.Japan Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
19.South Korea Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
20.South Africa Submarine Cable System Market Revenue, 2023-2030 ($M)
21.North America Submarine Cable System By Application
22.South America Submarine Cable System By Application
23.Europe Submarine Cable System By Application
24.APAC Submarine Cable System By Application
25.MENA Submarine Cable System By Application
26.Key Players, Sales /Revenue, 2015-2018 ($Mn/$Bn)
28.Key Innovators, Sales /Revenue, 2015-2018 ($Mn/$Bn)