The domestic cable system, reconnecting Tongatapu to Ha’apai and Vava’u, has been restored 18 months after the volcanic eruption near Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai caused extensive damage. The eruption, which occurred in January 2022, triggered tsunamis reaching heights of nearly three feet in some areas, leading to the disruption of both the international Tonga Cable and the Tonga Domestic Cable.
The international Tonga Cable, spanning 827 kilometers to Fiji and laid in 2013, was repaired a month after the eruption. However, the restoration of the Tonga Domestic Cable connecting the islands of Vavaʻu, Lifuka, and Tongatapu took considerably longer due to challenges in sourcing the required amount and type of cable for the repair job.
Tonga Cable Limited (TCL) confirmed that over 108 kilometers of cable were utilized in reconnecting the domestic cable system. The replacement cable had to be obtained from France, causing a lengthy delay. The process involved waiting for survey results conducted by the New Zealand organization, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), in April and May 2022, which determined the exact amount of cable to be ordered from Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN).
Once the order was placed, it took ASN seven months to manufacture the cable. The shipment from ASN in France required an additional four months, followed by another two months for the cable ship to reach Tonga. The actual repair of the cable itself was carried out over eight days by a crew of 57 people aboard the cable repair ship, C/S Lodbrog. The vessel is jointly owned and operated by ASN and Optic Marine (OMS).
Tonga Cable Ltd expressed relief at the completion of the repairs and the restoration of connectivity between Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u. The lengthy delay was attributed to the complexities involved in obtaining and delivering the necessary cable. The repaired domestic cable system will contribute significantly to the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, enabling enhanced communication services for Tonga’s residents and businesses.