The agreement focuses on the joint development of projects of mutual interest in the Hot Potassium Carbonate (HPC) segment, with the aim of capturing the opportunities offered by a growing market.
The SMART Cable sensor system is poised to transform global tsunami and earthquake early warning, protect critical telecommunications infrastructure, and supply essential ocean data.
In 2026, two funding calls worth €60 million will support cable repair modules, alongside a separate €20 million call for SMART cable system equipment.
Concern is growing in Europe at what officials see as an increase in hybrid threats from Russia since it launched its war in Ukraine, which Moscow denies.
The initiative coincides with intensifying competition between China and the United States for influence in Latin America, with submarine cables emerging as crucial infrastructure in their technological rivalry.
Swedish and Finnish police are investigating a suspected case of sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea, and Sweden's coast guard has deployed a vessel to the area where multiple seabed cables have been damaged in recent months.
