Countries unite for better protection of maritime infrastructure
Following incidents of merchant ships allegedly damaging subsea cables with dragged anchors, 17 countries have agreed to cooperate on protecting such infrastructure.
Signatories to the GUIDE framework include Australia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Singapore and others. The agreement was signed at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on 30 May to strengthen international security cooperation.
Singapore said the initiative reflects shared concerns over critical undersea networks linking energy and communications. Defence minister Chan Chun Sing warned that disruption to one part of the network affects all.
Recent cases highlight the risks. Finland blamed the ship Newnew Polar Bear for damaging the Balticonnector pipeline in October 2023, though China later said it was accidental. Separately, a Chinese barge was suspected of damaging a Taiwan subsea cable in March during salvage work, and investigations continue.
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