Cable Survey vessel in Apia

By Ilia L. Likou 25 April 2017, 12:00AM

The Survey Vessel, Geo Explorer, arrived in Apia yesterday to conduct its water survey in connection to the submarine Cable at Apia, Tuasivi and then American Samoa.

The arrival of the vessel is yet another milestone for the Samoa Submarine Cable Company as it moves to get the Tui Samoa Cable up and running.

 “The target of the survey is to make routes for the cable and to find the best solution to some of the problems,” explained Samoa Submarine Cable Company’s representative, Jean Louis Lamy.

 “Especially in incidents like earthquakes and typhoons, but as for now the survey is going very well, and for the moment we have routes.”

Mr. Lamy said the survey is nearly finished.

“Hopefully we’ll finish in the next two weeks and everyone will be happy.

“We have done Fiji to Samoa and now we have to do the trench to Savai’i, here in Apia and then to American Samoa...so this will take days.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology (M.C.I.T.); Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i, said the arrival of the vessel is an important part of the project.

“This is the second phase of the project,” he said.

“We are very grateful that the vessel is here. It’s a sign that the work is progressing smoothly.”

Afamasaga went on to say that the Station would be ready by September this year.

“The final report of this survey will be sent back to France because that is where the Cable will be made.

“So the Cable will be in the country in September but it all depends on the weather and other negatives developments that might delay the arrival of the cable.

 “The crew also confirmed that the Cable causes no harm to sea life and it will be well looked after.

 “The project is in line with the timeline given and even though there are challenges in Wallis and Futuna but they are trying their best to solve it so by the time we lay the cable everything will be alright.”

The Samoa Submarine Cable Company is a private company incorporated in Apia Samoa and will build, manage and operate the Tui-Samoa submarine cable between Apia Samoa and Suva Fiji. 

S.S.C.C. will operate a Cooperative Sustainable Wholesale Model (CSWM) with the mandate to deliver fast, reliable and affordable internet services to stimulate ICT innovation and development as an enabler of economic growth and social prosperity for the people of Samoa.

By Ilia L. Likou 25 April 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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