The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) will celebrate 60 years of submarine cable infrastructure development and maintenance with the 2018 ICPC Diamond Jubilee Plenary, to be held Apr. 10-12, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Experts who can speak authoritatively about developments in the world of submarine cables are invited to submit presentation abstracts by Feb. 5, 2018 for consideration. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

Submarine cables in harmony with the marine environment. Understanding, measuring, minimizing and mitigating marine environmental impacts.

International law and submarine cables. The role of UNCLOS, developments in BBNJ, cooperation with other seabed users and the ‘Due Regard’ principle, legal protections for both cables and the environment.

Engineering for system reliability. Innovative developments for effective protection, swift restoration and repair.

Effective cable awareness methods for the digital age.

Cables making new landfalls. Their social, political and economic impacts. How is connectivity changing Africa?

Science and submarine cables. Understanding and addressing natural and man-made hazards to submarine cable connectivity.

60 years of technical advancement. Cable utilization, system design, global spread, cable installation and protection methods, new applications for submarine cables.

About the ICPC:

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 organization provides a forum for the exchange of technical, legal and environmental information about submarine cables and, with more than 165 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 organization. For further information about ICPC visit: www.iscpc.org or send an e-mail to: secretary(at)iscpc(dot)org.