Cinia's C-Lion1 Submarine Cable Has Fully Restored

The break in Cinia's C-Lion1 submarine cable has been repaired and the direct submarine cable connection between Finland and Germany is back online and fully operational. 

The fault in the submarine cable was detected on Monday 18th of November 2024 at 4:04 am, and the repair work in the Swedish EEZ, east of Öland, was completed ahead of schedule on Thursday 28th of November 2024 at 9 pm (EET).

Despite the need to bring in specialized equipment from outside the Baltic Sea, the repair process progressed swiftly. The repair vessel Cable Vigilance was dispatched from France immediately after the fault was detected. Thanks to Cinia's good emergency preparedness and seamless collaboration with authorities, the fault was resolved efficiently.

"As part of ensuring business continuity in such exceptional situations, there are well-planned and rehearsed processes and procedures in place. The mobilization of the response team was rapid, and the connectivity could be restored slightly faster than expected. The repair measures were accelerated by the smooth and efficient cooperation with the authorities," says Ari-Jussi Knaapila, CEO of Cinia.

Minimal Disruption Thanks to Redundant Networks

The cable outage caused minimal disruption to Finnish society and Cinia's clients thanks to alternative routes and rapid repair processes.

"This incident highlights that the redundancy of Finland's data networks is well built for current needs. However, the future needs are growing, so building new alternative connections is critical from a national perspective," adds Knaapila.
 

Investigation into the Cable Damage Continues

The cause of the cable damage remains under investigation. Cinia filed an official request for investigation with Finland's National Bureau of Investigation on 19 November 2024, and the authorities are continuing their investigation. The National Bureau of Investigation will provide updates on the investigation as it progresses.

"Submarine cables are highly reliable, but redundancy remains essential in safeguarding communication systems. The security of critical submarine infrastructure needs to be improved, and international rules need to be strengthened to increase the risk of getting caught in cases of intentional damage," says Knaapila.

Investing in Future Strategic Connectivity

Cinia, whose majority owner is the Finnish State, is committed to strengthening Finland’s digital connectivity and cybersecurity. 

Cinia is involved in the design and development of the northern submarine cable system, which will create a new route between Asia and Europe, along which Finland and the rest of northern Europe are located. The 14,000 km cable will run through the Arctic, creating an entirely new communications link between Asia, North America and Europe. Cinia is part of an international consortium preparing the construction of the cable. When completed, the cable will complement and secure existing telecommunications links and create yet another new route from Finland to the world.

"Efficient and fast connections enhance Finland's appeal as a location for data centers, and the growing number of data centers also necessitates faster and more diverse connections. We are used to developing and operating critical infrastructure and information systems. On this basis, we will continue to develop and secure Finland's connections also in the future," says Knaapila.
 

C-Lion1

C-Lion1 is a submarine telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany, owned by Cinia, with a length of 1173 kilometers. The submarine cable was commissioned in 2016 and connects Central European telecommunications networks to Finland and the other Nordic countries.

Cinia is a Finnish provider of security for digital environments and a specialist in critical, high reliability connectivity and software. Cinia delivers high-quality network, cybersecurity, and software solutions to both public and private sector customers. For more information: cinia.fi