UK Plans Tougher Penalties for Ships That Damage Subsea Cables

The UK government is preparing new legislation that would impose tougher penalties on shipowners and operators who intentionally or recklessly damage subsea telecommunications cables, citing growing concerns about threats to critical underwater infrastructure and increased Russian activity around undersea networks.

The proposals were outlined Friday by UK Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd during a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), where she announced plans to replace Britain’s 140-year-old subsea cable legislation with a more modern framework designed to strengthen national security.

Under the proposals, vessel owners and operators that intentionally or recklessly damage subsea internet cables could face significantly higher