Submarine cable deployments over the years
Every submarine cable has a ready-for-service year: the moment it stopped being a construction project and started carrying traffic. Plotting those years shows how the industry moved in waves rather than at a steady pace.
683cables with a known year
1989-2029span of years
1 899 999kilometres in total
2026peak year: 38 cables
Cables entering service per year
In service
Announced / under construction
1989: 1 Cables, 153 Kilometres
1990: 3 Cables, 516 Kilometres
1991: 2 Cables, 316 Kilometres
1992: 7 Cables, 947 Kilometres
1993: 1 Cables, 110 Kilometres
1994: 18 Cables, 7 124 Kilometres
1995: 12 Cables, 3 685 Kilometres
1996: 8 Cables, 3 298 Kilometres
1997: 20 Cables, 45 511 Kilometres
1998: 11 Cables, 19 620 Kilometres
1999: 30 Cables, 43 454 Kilometres
2000: 28 Cables, 106 313 Kilometres
2001: 17 Cables, 122 009 Kilometres
2002: 12 Cables, 94 798 Kilometres
2003: 8 Cables, 16 343 Kilometres
2004: 12 Cables, 12 776 Kilometres
2005: 15 Cables, 25 044 Kilometres
2006: 12 Cables, 20 812 Kilometres
2007: 15 Cables, 8 140 Kilometres
2008: 24 Cables, 43 559 Kilometres
2009: 17 Cables, 69 155 Kilometres
2010: 16 Cables, 61 145 Kilometres
2011: 21 Cables, 31 302 Kilometres
2012: 21 Cables, 61 544 Kilometres
2013: 13 Cables, 18 616 Kilometres
2014: 16 Cables, 30 386 Kilometres
2015: 14 Cables, 20 029 Kilometres
2016: 18 Cables, 66 002 Kilometres
2017: 17 Cables, 74 697 Kilometres
2018: 22 Cables, 74 263 Kilometres
2019: 31 Cables, 32 261 Kilometres
2020: 23 Cables, 68 717 Kilometres
2021: 18 Cables, 46 960 Kilometres
2022: 25 Cables, 93 631 Kilometres
2023: 32 Cables, 51 687 Kilometres
2024: 17 Cables, 75 679 Kilometres
2025: 17 Cables, 76 043 Kilometres
2026: 38 Cables, 188 809 Kilometres
2027: 32 Cables, 93 351 Kilometres
2028: 16 Cables, 61 694 Kilometres
2029: 3 Cables, 29 500 Kilometres
8990919293949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526272829
Kilometres of cable laid per year
1989: 153 Kilometres, 1 Cables
1990: 516 Kilometres, 3 Cables
1991: 316 Kilometres, 2 Cables
1992: 947 Kilometres, 7 Cables
1993: 110 Kilometres, 1 Cables
1994: 7 124 Kilometres, 18 Cables
1995: 3 685 Kilometres, 12 Cables
1996: 3 298 Kilometres, 8 Cables
1997: 45 511 Kilometres, 20 Cables
1998: 19 620 Kilometres, 11 Cables
1999: 43 454 Kilometres, 30 Cables
2000: 106 313 Kilometres, 28 Cables
2001: 122 009 Kilometres, 17 Cables
2002: 94 798 Kilometres, 12 Cables
2003: 16 343 Kilometres, 8 Cables
2004: 12 776 Kilometres, 12 Cables
2005: 25 044 Kilometres, 15 Cables
2006: 20 812 Kilometres, 12 Cables
2007: 8 140 Kilometres, 15 Cables
2008: 43 559 Kilometres, 24 Cables
2009: 69 155 Kilometres, 17 Cables
2010: 61 145 Kilometres, 16 Cables
2011: 31 302 Kilometres, 21 Cables
2012: 61 544 Kilometres, 21 Cables
2013: 18 616 Kilometres, 13 Cables
2014: 30 386 Kilometres, 16 Cables
2015: 20 029 Kilometres, 14 Cables
2016: 66 002 Kilometres, 18 Cables
2017: 74 697 Kilometres, 17 Cables
2018: 74 263 Kilometres, 22 Cables
2019: 32 261 Kilometres, 31 Cables
2020: 68 717 Kilometres, 23 Cables
2021: 46 960 Kilometres, 18 Cables
2022: 93 631 Kilometres, 25 Cables
2023: 51 687 Kilometres, 32 Cables
2024: 75 679 Kilometres, 17 Cables
2025: 76 043 Kilometres, 17 Cables
2026: 188 809 Kilometres, 38 Cables
2027: 93 351 Kilometres, 32 Cables
2028: 61 694 Kilometres, 16 Cables
2029: 29 500 Kilometres, 3 Cables
8990919293949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526272829
Year by year
| Year | Cables | Kilometres | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 29 500 | Announced / under construction | |
| 2028 | 61 694 | Announced / under construction | |
| 2027 | 93 351 | Announced / under construction | |
| 2026 | 188 809 | In service | |
| 2025 | 76 043 | In service | |
| 2024 | 75 679 | In service | |
| 2023 | 51 687 | In service | |
| 2022 | 93 631 | In service | |
| 2021 | 46 960 | In service | |
| 2020 | 68 717 | In service | |
| 2019 | 32 261 | In service | |
| 2018 | 74 263 | In service | |
| 2017 | 74 697 | In service | |
| 2016 | 66 002 | In service | |
| 2015 | 20 029 | In service | |
| 2014 | 30 386 | In service | |
| 2013 | 18 616 | In service | |
| 2012 | 61 544 | In service | |
| 2011 | 31 302 | In service | |
| 2010 | 61 145 | In service | |
| 2009 | 69 155 | In service | |
| 2008 | 43 559 | In service | |
| 2007 | 8 140 | In service | |
| 2006 | 20 812 | In service | |
| 2005 | 25 044 | In service | |
| 2004 | 12 776 | In service | |
| 2003 | 16 343 | In service | |
| 2002 | 94 798 | In service | |
| 2001 | 122 009 | In service | |
| 2000 | 106 313 | In service | |
| 1999 | 43 454 | In service | |
| 1998 | 19 620 | In service | |
| 1997 | 45 511 | In service | |
| 1996 | 3 298 | In service | |
| 1995 | 3 685 | In service | |
| 1994 | 7 124 | In service | |
| 1993 | 110 | In service | |
| 1992 | 947 | In service | |
| 1991 | 316 | In service | |
| 1990 | 516 | In service | |
| 1989 | 153 | In service |
Figures come from our own catalogue: a ready-for-service year is known for 683 systems. Cables without a recorded year are excluded, so the earliest decades are under-represented. See also the full cable catalogue, the interactive map and live network monitoring.