99% of international communications travel through submarine cables. Beneath the sea lies a vital part of the infrastructure that underpins digital connectivity, energy supply and national security. Yet the underwater domain remains difficult to observe, monitor and protect.
For Italy, this is a particularly pressing issue. The concentration of infrastructure and cable landing points in strategic areas such as Sicily, Puglia and Liguria makes the country one of the Mediterranean’s most exposed hubs. The risk, however, is not limited to sabotage: between 60% and 86% of submarine cable faults are caused by anchors and fishing nets, while natural causes account for a further significant share. The challenge, therefore, also lies in distinguishing an accident from a deliberate act quickly, precisely when it is essential to understand what is happening and activate an appropriate response.
Another factor adds to this vulnerability: restoring damaged infrastructure can take an average of 40 days, while the number of specialised vessels available for repair operations is limited. Network resilience therefore depends not only on preventing disruptions, but also on detecting them, identifying their causes quickly and intervening within timeframes that safeguard the continuity of strategic services.
The report produced by BIP CyberSec and the Luiss Research Center for International and Strategic Studies explores these vulnerabilities and examines the future of Italy’s underwater domain, outlining four possible scenarios for 2050. At its heart lies a crucial question: how capable will we be of seeing and understanding what happens beneath the surface?
Complete the form to discover the report's key insights.