Ceiba-2: A regional submarine cable connecting Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon
Ceiba-2 is a submarine telecommunications cable system that links
Bata and
Malabo in Equatorial Guinea with
Kribi in Cameroon. Owned by GITGE (Gestor de Infraestructuras de Telecomunicaciones de Guinea Ecuatorial), the cable spans 290 kilometers and is listed as in service since 2017, according to GeoCables records. Its primary role is to provide enhanced connectivity within the region, complementing existing systems like
Ceiba-1 and other international cables landing in Bata, Malabo, and Kribi.
What makes Ceiba-2 notable is the limited public disclosure surrounding its technical specifications, such as design capacity, fiber pair count, and supplier details. This lack of transparency highlights the challenges in assessing the full impact and capabilities of certain regional cables. Additionally, live latency measurements between Kribi and Malabo reveal significantly higher round-trip times than the theoretical floor, underscoring the complexity of real-world internet routing.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Ceiba-2 |
| Length | 290 km |
| Ready for service | 2017 (GeoCables database) |
| Owner | GITGE (Gestor de Infraestructuras de Telecomunicaciones de Guinea Ecuatorial) |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Bata (Equatorial Guinea), Kribi (Cameroon), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) |
| Other cables at Bata | Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), Ceiba-1 |
| Other cables at Kribi | Nigeria Cameroon Submarine Cable System (NCSCS), South Atlantic Inter Link (SAIL) |
| Other cables at Malabo | Ceiba-1 |
| Same family systems | Ceiba-1 |
| Computed latency (one-way) | ~1.4 ms |
| Computed latency (round-trip) | ~2.8 ms |
| Live latency measurements | Kribi -> Malabo: min 203.0 ms, avg 203.2 ms |
🗺 Show Ceiba-2 on the interactive cable map
Route
Ceiba-2 connects three landing points: Bata and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, and Kribi in Cameroon. Bata, located on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea, is a major port city, while Malabo is situated on Bioko Island and serves as the nation's capital. Kribi, a coastal town in Cameroon, is an emerging hub for submarine cable landings due to its strategic location along the Gulf of Guinea. The cable's route spans a relatively short distance of 290 kilometers, making it a regional system rather than a transcontinental one.
Why it was built and what it carries
Ceiba-2 was constructed to improve connectivity between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, as well as to provide redundancy and additional capacity for the region. It complements the older Ceiba-1 cable, which also connects Bata and Malabo, and integrates with other international systems like ACE, NCSCS, and SAIL. The cable likely supports internet traffic, voice communications, and data services, although specific details about its capacity and traffic types are not publicly disclosed.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records indicate that Ceiba-2 was ready for service in 2017. There are no known conflicts regarding this date from other industry sources, suggesting a consistent timeline for its deployment. The cable was developed as part of GITGE's efforts to enhance the telecommunications infrastructure in Equatorial Guinea, which has historically faced challenges in connectivity and access.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available data does not disclose Ceiba-2's design capacity, fiber pair count, or supplier. Without operator documentation, it is impossible to state these parameters with certainty. The cable's technology is also unspecified, leaving questions about whether it employs advanced features such as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or other high-capacity technologies commonly used in modern submarine systems.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation time for Ceiba-2's 290-kilometer wet segment is approximately 1.4 milliseconds, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 2.8 milliseconds. However, live measurements conducted via remote probes show a minimum RTT of 203.0 milliseconds and an average of 203.2 milliseconds between Kribi and Malabo. This discrepancy is expected, as real-world latency includes additional factors such as terrestrial network delays, routing inefficiencies, and processing times at cable landing stations and data centers.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, Ceiba-2's redundancy is supported by other cables landing at its endpoints. Bata is connected to the ACE and Ceiba-1 systems, while Malabo also has Ceiba-1. Kribi hosts the NCSCS and SAIL cables, both of which provide alternative routes for international connectivity. Repairing submarine cables typically involves deploying specialized vessels to locate, retrieve, and fix the damaged segment, a process that can take weeks depending on the severity of the issue and environmental conditions.
Bottom line
- Ceiba-2 is a regional submarine cable linking Bata, Malabo, and Kribi.
- Owned by GITGE, it has been in service since 2017 according to GeoCables records.
- Technical specifications such as design capacity and fiber pair count are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency is ~2.8 ms RTT, but live measurements show significantly higher values (~203 ms RTT).
- Redundancy is provided by other cables at the landing points, including ACE, NCSCS, SAIL, and Ceiba-1.