Subsea Environmental Services (‘Subsea’) and Red Penguin Associates (advisors) (‘Red Penguin’) are beginning to decommission the TAT-14 telecommunications cable system. The system, operational between 2001 and 2020 was a North Atlantic connectivity kingpin, connecting the US, UK, France, Denmark and The Netherlands.  In its heyday, the system was the 14th consortium transatlantic telecommunications cable system, and the decommissioning is the end of an era. The decommissioning project requires access to deep-water segments in the North Atlantic and includes removal and recycling of share-ends. 

The planning phase for the project began more than a year ago.  The project required a comprehensive Decommissioning Study, which looked at all of the interests of the multiple stakeholders in regards to permitting, environmental impact, GIS/database analysis, review of as-builts, crossings and proximity considerations of third-party assets across various international boundaries and jurisdictions.

By the end of 2021, it is anticipated that in-shore works will be completed. The Operations Phase commenced Mid-April, 2021, with planned recovery of inshore ends in Denmark and The Netherlands. In the coming months, risk identification, analysis and implementation of any necessary mitigation while keeping operations to a tight project schedule, will be critical to oversee as segments progress. Careful consideration of the project’s impact on waste, environmental factors and opportunities to reuse portions were examined.

Hearing from the partners themselves, “the scope of this project presents an exciting opportunity, Red Penguin have been an excellent partner and we look forward to continuing to work closely together.” said John Theodoracopulos, (Subsea MD). Matt Bowden (Red Penguin GM) added: “as specialists in managing risk across diverse, complex submarine cable projects, Red Penguin is delighted to be working with Subsea on the decommissioning of TAT-14 and see it as a signpost for future cable recovery.”  

For more information about Subsea, Red Penguin and the TAT-14 decommissioning project, click here.

Twitter @marine_penguin 

Instagram @subsea_environmental_services