Geometry of the Location: Depths, Shores, Shipping
The chokepoint at Tong Fuk, located on the southwestern tip of Lantau Island in Hong Kong (latitude 22.0000, longitude 114.0000), is a narrow corridor where submarine cables cross on their way between East and Southeast Asia, as well as more distant regions. Hong Kong's geographic position makes it a natural hub for connecting networks from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines to trunk lines leading to the Middle East, Europe and the USA.
The depths of the South China Sea and proximity to densely populated shores limit options for alternative routes. Additionally, the straits and shallow waters around Hong Kong are heavily utilized for shipping, adding complexity to cable laying. All these factors compel operators to concentrate their systems in one narrow corridor, minimizing construction and operational costs.
What's Packed In: 17 Cables and Their Trunk Lines
The chokepoint at Tong Fuk is traversed by 17 submarine cables, including some of the longest and most critical trunk lines in the world. Among them:
EAC-C2C (36,500 km): The world's largest submarine network, connecting key cities in Asia.
FLAG Europe-Asia (FEA) (28,000 km): A trunk line linking Europe to Asia via the Middle East.
Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1) (25,000 km): Connects Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Asia-America Gateway (AAG) (20,000 km): A key route between Asia and the USA.
APCN-2 (19,000 km): A regional network covering East and Southeast Asia.
These cables provide connectivity between countries such as China, Japan, the Philippines, Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Brunei, the USA, Jordan and Greece. Any disruption at this chokepoint could impact billions of users worldwide.
Alternative Corridors: Why They Don't Solve the Problem
While it is theoretically possible to lay cables bypassing Tong Fuk, this comes with significant challenges. The South China Sea has a complex seabed topography, including deep trenches and underwater mountains, which increases the cost of laying cables. For instance, extending the route to bypass Hong Kong could add thousands of kilometers to the cable length, raising construction and operational costs and introducing additional delays in data transmission.
Moreover, alternative routes, such as straits south of Taiwan or through the Philippines, are themselves vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes and typhoons that frequently occur in the region. This makes Tong Fuk an almost irreplaceable node for submarine cable infrastructure.
Breakdown Scenario: Step by Step
In the event of a break in one or more cables near Tong Fuk, the consequences would be felt almost immediately. Here's how the situation might unfold:
First Minutes: Traffic passing through the damaged cables is automatically rerouted to backup routes, if available. However, due to the high concentration of cables at this chokepoint, overload on backup routes is inevitable.
First Hours: Data transmission delays (RTT) increase, especially for routes between Asia and Europe or the USA. Users may notice slower internet speeds, particularly when accessing international resources.
First Days: Cable system operators begin assessing the damage and planning repair work. Depending on the extent of the damage and weather conditions, repairs could take anywhere from several days to weeks.
Although such events are rare, they highlight the importance of monitoring and having backup capacities to minimize the impact.
What GeoCables Monitors
GeoCables closely monitors the condition of submarine cables in the Tong Fuk area. Currently, one RTT delay anomaly has been recorded at this chokepoint over the past 30 days, indicating high operational stability. We also track vessel movements near the cables to minimize the risk of damage from anchors or trawls.
Additionally, our analytics enable the assessment of potential impacts from cable breaks and the development of scenarios for rapid response. This is especially crucial for zones like Tong Fuk, where geography dictates routes, leaving operators with minimal room for maneuver.
Built GeoCables to monitor submarine cables in real time. Runs his own distributed network of measurement servers, including in regions poorly covered by public internet measurements.
