TAT-8 removal operations
TAT-8, which joined the USA and Europe in 1988 across the Atlantic, was the world’s first submarine fiber optic cable, and opened the doors to the global internet. It was in operation for 14 years, suffered a breakdown, and is now being recovered from the bottom of the ocean — with a stopover at the Port of Leixões.
On the coast of Portugal, an internet cable rested for almost 30 years. In 1988, when it was initially installed, the TAT-8 it was the world’s first fiber optic submarine cable.
It witnessed important events, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, and boosted the emergence of the World Wide Web. But, far from being a definitive solution, it remained overloaded in just 18 monthsdue to the exponential increase in digital communications users.
Despite having been profoundly influential, Corporal suffered a breakdown whose repair would become too expensive, and was removed from service in 2002.
This process of gradual deactivation It has been seen with many submarine cables, but most have remained on the ocean floor. In fact, about 2 million kilometers of these cables are no longer in operation and have not yet been removed, notes the .
The operation is being carried out by , which is using its vessel MV Maasvliet to retrieve the cable. Recovery implies drag a hook along the seabed to capture the cable and then hoist it aboard, a process that can take hours.
In February, during a stopover at the port of Leixõesthe team downloaded the first 1,012 kilometers of recovered caperefueled the ship and then left again to pick up another cargo, says , in an interesting report about life on board the MV Maasvliet.
Although often referred to as an internet cable, the TAT-8 was actually installed to telephone communications; TAT stands for Trans-Atlantic Telephone. However, this revolutionary technology expanded its use and became the backbone high internet speeds and global communications.
The installation of TAT-8 was financed by AT&T, France Telecom and British Telecom, with the aim of improve communications between the US and Europe. The cable boosted intercontinental data transmission, and quickly went from just supporting phone calls to becoming the backbone of global digital traffic, highlights the .
It was such an extraordinary feat that Isaac Asimov spoke via video link broadcast in London, New York and Paris to announce its start-up.
The science fiction author, “father” of the famous Three Laws of Robotics, referred to the event as “a maiden voyage across the sea on a beam of light“.
As the writer so eloquently described, fiber optic technology converts electrical information into light. Digital data from audio and visual signals is converted into light signalsmodulated by intensity or by turning the light on and off at certain frequencies.
Imagine you are communicating with a friend via WhatsApp. On one side, your image and voice are converted into binary digital code and then translated into light signals.
These signs travel at the speed of light via the fiber optic network and reach your friend’s cell phone. Then, these light signals are quickly converted into digital data, which manifests as your voice and image.
Space Weather / Research Gate
TAT-8 route across the Atlantic
Fiber optic technology was developed by scientists Charles K. Kao e George Hockham in the 1960s.
The two pioneers discovered that, using high purity glasslight could be successfully transmitted over extraordinary distances, allowing information to be transported much further than researchers had previously imagined. However, this technology would only become decisive for fast communication via the internet decades later.
The precursor to the modern internet was a system called ARPANETcreated by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the United States Department of Defense, with the aim of allowing communication between research facilities and federal agencies.
This project used copper lines that were already in use for telephone communications. Naturally, copper wiring has several disadvantages, including susceptibility to corrosion and electrical interference, resulting in a lower quality signal.
Fiber optic technology has allowed transmissions over greater distancesless interference and greater data capacity.
Since the 1850s, more than 3.5 million kilometers of subsea cabling were installed. Of these, almost 2/3 are no longer in service.
Fortunately, there does not appear to be a significant impact of these abandoned cables on the marine lifeso leaving them where they are should not pose a major threat to the environment. However, the materials contained in these cables are incredibly valuable and exceptionally difficult to recover.
Between 150 and 200 incidents causing damage to submarine cables occur every year. The majority of these (around 80%) are due to human errorsuch as fishing and anchoring activities. Between 10 and 20% of damage is caused by natural hazards, such as currents or earthquakes.
To debunk a common myth and defend an often wronged fish, sharks are not to blameand the popular idea that they use these cables as chew toys is most likely a urban legend.
In recent years, however, new concern has been raised about the possibility of deliberate destruction of cables by governments during conflicts, a strategy that is even assumed, for example, by Chinawhich in 2025 announced a submarine cable cutter — which .
