New Caledonia and Vanuatu are set to be connected by a pioneering underwater telecommunications cable equipped with scientific monitoring technology aimed at improving earthquake and tsunami detection in one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
Jeremie Katidjo Monnier, member of the New Caledonian government responsible for the management of the Coral Sea Natural Park, attended a presentation on the Tam-Tam cable project by the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer) on May 6, alongside representatives from several government departments and agencies.
The proposed cable will link Lifou in New Caledonia with Efate, Tanna and Santo in Vanuatu, traversing the second most active subduction zone in the world, an area characterised by intense seismic activity and significant tsunami risk.
Martin Patriat, a geology researcher at Ifremer, outlined the technological, scientific and social dimensions of the project, which is being financed under the France 2030 programme with funding of 2.146 billion CFP francs ($18 million euros).
Beyond providing digital connectivity, the cable will incorporate SMART technology — Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunication — enabling it to function as a scientific observation platform through embedded sensors measuring temperature, pressure and seismic activity.
The system is designed to detect underwater earthquakes, pressure changes associated with tsunamis, and tectonic movements in real time.
According to Ifremer, the deployment of SMART cable technology on this scale represents a global first.
Project stakeholders said the cable would support continuous monitoring of marine and underwater environments, contributing to a more detailed understanding of climate change impacts and ocean conditions.
The system is also expected to strengthen disaster preparedness and public safety through improved earthquake and tsunami early warning capabilities, while deepening regional cooperation between France, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
The initiative is being led by Ifremer in partnership with New Caledonia’s Directorate of Industry, Mines and Energy (DIMENC), the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and Pacific Peering, a New Caledonian company specialising in international connectivity services.
Private telecommunications operators, including Prima and Alcatel Submarine Networks, are also involved in the project.
