Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has released new guidelines aimed at improving the monitoring of undersea cables, with the goal of increasing the resilience of critical offshore energy infrastructure. Cable monitoring is key to maintaining the reliability of offshore wind and other subsea systems. Traditional inspection methods are often reactive, time-intensive, and costly, and may fail to detect early-stage faults. Persistent cable failure rates indicate that existing approaches are not adequately addressing the issue.
The new guidelines provide a shared reference for the selection, installation, and use of cable monitoring systems. They are intended to fill gaps in current standards and promote consistent practices across the sector. The recommendations are technology-neutral and apply to both new developments and existing offshore sites. Developed in collaboration with industry stakeholders, the guidelines cover cable monitoring from the design and manufacturing stages through to long-term operation. They outline recommended practices that support early fault detection and improved long-term asset performance.