Ras Gharib: Strategic Submarine Cable Hub

Where is the Ras Gharib chokepoint located?

Ras Gharib is a narrow area on the Egyptian coast, situated at 28.5° north latitude and 33° east longitude, near the Gulf of Suez. This region is strategically important for submarine cable infrastructure, as numerous major routes connecting Europe, Africa and Asia pass through it. The reason for such a concentration is simple: the geography of the Suez Canal makes it a natural bridge between the Mediterranean and Red Seas, which is convenient for laying cables. Additionally, there is already a well-developed infrastructure here for their maintenance.

What passes through it?

Seventeen submarine cables pass through the Ras Gharib chokepoint, including major routes such as:

• 2Africa (45,000 km): one of the longest cables in the world, connecting Africa, Europe and Asia;
• FLAG Europe-Asia (FEA, 28,000 km): a key connection between Europe and Asia;
• Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1, 25,000 km): a route linking 19 countries;
• PEACE Cable (25,000 km): a cable providing high-speed connectivity between Asia, Africa and Europe;
• SeaMeWe-6 (21,700 km), SeaMeWe-5 (20,000 km) and SeaMeWe-4 (20,000 km): three generations of the "Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe" systems;
• Europe India Gateway (EIG, 15,000 km) and IMEWE (12,091 km): cables connecting Europe, the Middle East and India.

These cables play a key role in data transmission between regions, providing internet, telephone services and other telecommunications.

Which countries depend on this chokepoint?

A cable outage in the Ras Gharib area could impact numerous countries. Among them are Egypt, Italy, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Oman, India, Yemen, Malaysia, the Maldives, Spain, the United Kingdom, China and Iran. These countries rely on the stable operation of these routes for international data exchange. Issues at this point could lead to significant delays in data transmission or complete loss of connectivity, especially for countries with limited alternative routes.

Risks to the Ras Gharib chokepoint

Despite its strategic importance, the Ras Gharib chokepoint is exposed to several risks:

• Seismic activity: The region is located in an area of heightened tectonic activity, increasing the likelihood of cable damage due to underwater earthquakes.
• Ship anchors: Heavy maritime traffic in the Gulf of Suez creates a risk of accidental cable damage from anchors.
• Fishing: The use of bottom trawlers can lead to cable breaks.
• Sabotage: Given its strategic importance, the chokepoint could become a target for deliberate attacks, especially in times of geopolitical instability.
• Geopolitics: Tensions in the region could impact the security of cable infrastructure and complicate its maintenance.

Interestingly, anomalies in latency (RTT) were detected on one of the routes in this area over the past 30 days, which may indicate local issues or network congestion.

What does GeoCables monitor?

The GeoCables team closely monitors the condition of cables in the Ras Gharib area. We track:

• The status of 17 routes, including key cables such as 2Africa, AAE-1 and FLAG Europe-Asia;
• Data transmission delays (RTT) to identify potential issues;
• Ship movements in the area to minimize the risk of anchor-related damage;
• Seismic activity that could threaten cable integrity;
• Events related to geopolitical situations that may affect the infrastructure.

Timely analysis and monitoring allow us to promptly identify risks and inform cable system operators about potential threats.