Vanuatu-New Caledonia first SMART cable system. Photo: Image Courtesy of ASN
A new kind of multi-purpose undersea cable, referred to as "SMART", is scheduled to connect New Caledonia (landing on Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands group) and Vanuatu (Port Vila) by 2026, a telecom joint venture has announced.
The project 's implementation results from a partnership between Vanuatu-based telecom and infrastructure company Prima and cable laying specialist Alcatel Submarine Networks, the two partners said in a release earlier this month.
Described as a "world first", the cable would provide telecommunications, but is also equipped with built-in "Climate Change Nodes", sensors designed to feedback real-time data for tsunami and earthquakes monitoring.
The "SMART" cable (for Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications) is said to "symbolise the strength of international collaboration in addressing global challenges…merging telecommunications with environmental monitoring technologies...will substantially enhance the safety, connectivity, and scientific insight of the Pacific region".
The signing ceremony between partners took place during the recent Pacific Telecoms Council Meeting in Hawaii late January.
"This groundbreaking project is set to provide not only a supplementary telecom cable to New Caledonia, extending to Australia and Fiji, but also a vital component in environmental monitoring", the partners said.
"This innovative technology promises to revolutionize warning systems throughout the Pacific, enhancing security and preparedness against natural disasters," they added.
Other parties supporting the project are the government of Vanuatu, New Caledonia's telecom company OPT (Office des Postes et Télécommunications) and the French government.
Integrated Climate Change Nodes in the subsea cable system for real-time seismic and tsunami detection Vanuatu-New Caledonia first SMART cable system. Photo: Image Courtesy of ASN
