Jeddah: A Global Subsea Cable Hub

Geometry of the Location: Depths, Shores, Shipping

Jeddah, situated on the Red Sea coast, is one of the key hubs of the global submarine communication infrastructure. The region's geography forces cables to converge in a narrow space due to a unique combination of natural and economic factors. Firstly, the relatively shallow areas of the Red Sea have depths that allow for safe cable laying, avoiding the excessive costs associated with deep-sea drilling. Secondly, the region's shores, particularly those of Saudi Arabia, are ideal for constructing cable stations thanks to a stable geological platform and the absence of significant tectonic risks. Lastly, the Red Sea is traversed by one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, connecting Europe with Asia via the Suez Canal, making this region not only a communication hub but also a logistical one.

What's Crowded: 18 Cables in One Corridor

In the Jeddah area, 18 submarine cables converge, providing connectivity between three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. Among them are giants like 2Africa (45,000 km), one of the longest cables in the world, connecting 33 countries, and FLAG Europe-Asia (28,000 km), which directly links Europe and Asia. Also passing through this corridor are Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1, 25,000 km), PEACE Cable (25,000 km), SeaMeWe-5 (20,000 km), SeaMeWe-4 (20,000 km), IMEWE (12,091 km), and others. These cables provide internet connectivity for dozens of countries, including Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Italy, South Africa, India, and China. Notably, even relatively short cables like Saudi Arabia-Sudan-1 (333 km) and Saudi Arabia-Sudan-2 (330 km) play an important role in distributing traffic between regions.

Alternative Corridors: Why They Don't Help

At first glance, alternative routes for submarine cables do exist. For example, cables could bypass the Red Sea via the southern waters of the Indian Ocean or opt for northern paths through Turkey and Russia. However, these options come with significant limitations. Southern routes greatly increase cable lengths, leading to higher project costs and increased signal latency. Northern paths, such as routes through the Arctic or the Caspian Sea, face political and climatic risks, including icy conditions and geopolitical instability. As a result, Jeddah remains the only viable option for most backbone cables connecting three continents.

Breakage Scenario Step-by-Step

What happens if a massive cable break occurs in the Jeddah area? In the first hours following the incident, internet traffic will be rerouted through the remaining operational routes, resulting in a significant increase in latency (RTT) and reduced bandwidth. For instance, users in Europe accessing resources in Asia may experience doubled or tripled response times. In the following days, operators will begin utilizing backup routes, such as detours through South Africa or longer trajectories via the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, this is a temporary solution, as such routes are not designed to handle the full traffic volume. Repairing damaged cables could take anywhere from several days to weeks, depending on the extent of the damage and weather conditions for cable-laying ships.

What GeoCables Monitors

GeoCables closely monitors the situation in the Jeddah area, including the status of all 18 cables passing through this chokepoint. We track latency (RTT) and any anomalies, such as recorded breaks or deteriorations in connection quality. Over the past 30 days, three significant deviations in cable performance have been recorded in this zone. We also monitor vessel movements in the region, as anchors and trawlers remain one of the main threats to submarine infrastructure. Our data helps cable operators and internet providers respond promptly to incidents and minimize their impact.