Cable repairs in Orkney waters

A specialised cable laying ship has been working in Orkney waters this week, involved in carrying out repair work on an important  fibre optic cable which runs along the seabed off the east coast of Orkney.

Faroese Telecom has reported breakages to the cable on different occasions, which have been put down to fishing activity in the vicinity of the cable, however the company said that this may not be the case this time, and the break was most likely weather related.

The cable links Faroe to Shetland and Orkney, and on to Scotland, with the onward network linking to Europe.

The French registered cable ship IIe D Aix arrived to repair the cable, first heading for an area off Macduff, before sailing on to Orkney waters, off the east coast of South Ronaldsay.