Red Sea tensions stall Google and Meta’s undersea cables, forcing reroutes

Undersea cables

Subsea internet cable projects backed by Google and Meta are running into significant delays as mounting geopolitical tensions make the Red Sea too dangerous for commercial operations. According to Bloomberg, repeated security threats in the region have halted progress on key infrastructure meant to boost high-speed connectivity across Africa and Asia.

Meta’s 2Africa cable, one of the world’s largest fibre-optic projects at 45,000 kilometres, remains incomplete five years after its announcement. The southern Red Sea segment in particular has seen no movement due to operational challenges, regulatory hurdles and rising geopolitical risk. Meta, which is part of a broader consortium, says diversifying routes is now essential as it participates in around two dozen global cable initiatives.

Google is facing similar setbacks. Its Blue-Raman subsea cable, designed to strengthen connections between Europe, the Middle East and India, has also been delayed in the Red Sea, though the company has not disclosed specifics.

The Red Sea has historically been the most direct and cost-efficient corridor for undersea internet cables, which support more than 95% of the world’s data traffic. However, its growing instability is reshaping long-standing assumptions. The region has seen a surge in missile attacks by Houthi forces over the past two years, driving cargo vessels away and forcing specialised cable-laying ships to either halt work or take long detours. This increases operating costs and disrupts timelines for projects that require precise sequencing.

In response, tech and telecom companies are now seriously evaluating alternative land-based routes through countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. These pathways were once dismissed as too expensive or circuitous, but with the Red Sea corridor becoming increasingly hazardous, they are emerging as more practical options. The shift underscores how geopolitical volatility can reshape the physical foundations of the global internet.