The submarine cable industry in Western Europe is crucial for the continuity of the connectivity that holds the sphere united, providing the high-speed Internet, telecommunication, and data transfer that surpasses continents. In 2025, the market was worth USD 769.2 million and would surpass USD 1,095.6 million by the end of 2035, growing at a CAGR of 3.6% in the period between 2025 and 2035.
Demand for data is increasing worldwide as cloud computing, 5G technologies, IoT, and big data become ubiquitous which creates demand for strong and efficient submarine cables. Submarine cables form a vital part of the connections between data centres, international communication and the operations of businesses around the world. Western Europe, strategically located with key entry points to North America, Africa, and Asia, occupies a central role in the submarine cable business.
Market Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Market Size (2025E) | USD 769.2 Million |
| Market Value (2035F) | USD 1,095.6 Million |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 3.6% |
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Germany serves as a focal point for Western Europe’s submarine cable market. Germany remains a lifeblood for digital connectivity with its strong economy and advanced telecommunications infrastructure. The need for the submarine cables in the country originates from the growing dependence on data centres, cloud services and high-speed internet.
Germany is a trailblazer of innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly submarine solution. Moreover, investment in internet infrastructure (e.g., expansion of 5G/broadband networks) backed by German government opens other growth avenues for the submarine cable sector.
Italy’s strategic position in the submarine cable market helping connect Europe to North Africa and the Middle East offers it an economic opportunity. This increasing focus on digital infrastructure, expansion of data centres, and high-speed internet services is likely to propel the demand for submarine cable in the region.
The progress of eco-friendly submarine cable technology fits Italy, as both countries are turning to sustainable energy. Italy is a country with excellent growth prospects for submarine cable operations, thanks to the expansion of broadband and telecom networks within its territory and a good strategic position for the transmission of data between continents.
Due to its international connectivity and mature telecom infrastructure, France plays a key role in the submarine cable ecosystem. The country’s appetite for submarine cables is driven by the increasing demand for high-speed, more reliable internet to power industries like finance, health care and entertainment.
In telecommunications, France is investing massively in sustainable technologies reducing carbon emissions. Submarine cable infrastructure will be in a demand surge with the French government initiatives to increase internet equipotentiality in the country, especially for underserved areas. The French commitment to green technology also provides an opportunity for innovation in dark green cabling.
Challenges
Infrastructure Costs and Regulatory Hurdles
The global submarine cable market is challenged by their installation and maintenance costs. This task requires a significant investment in capital as it involves ships, the production of cables, and their subsea installation.
Traditionally, acquiring necessary permits for cable routes and ensuring compliance with national and international regulations has created regulatory constraints that may cause delays and increase expenses for projects. Environmental issues and geopolitical tensions further complicate the situation, frequently creating obstacles to the approval of new cable routes.
Opportunities
Demand from 5G, AI, and Renewable Energy Integration
In addition, growth in high-capacity data transfer, especially driven by 5G networks, AI, and big data, is creating one of the significant opportunities in the submarine cable market. As low-latency, high-speed communication becomes more and more critical for industries like finance, health care and autonomous vehicles, demand for submarine cables will continue to surge.
Another growth area is the additional deployment of submarine cables tied to renewable energy, which will be in accordance with global carbon reduction goals. The development will lead to the implementation of sustainable submarine cables that reduce their environmental footprint, spur innovation and investment in the industry.
Submarine Cable Industry in Western Europe had a dynamic transformation 2025 to 2035, primarily due to increase in service demand, data transmission, communication networks expansion across globe etc.This drives demand for next-generation submarine cable infrastructure with increased capacity and lower costs as cloud adoption and digitalization increases around the world, alongside more data centers and increased cloud service provider investments, smart networks, and previous shortages in submarine networks, considering future demand for 5G networks, IoT and digital economies.
Western Europe is the essential interconnection point between North America, Asia and Africa, which is why the submarine cables network in this region is crucial for global connectivity.
Market Shifts: 2020 to 2024 vs. 2025 to 2035
| Key Dimensions | 2020 to 2024 |
|---|---|
| Cable Technology | Single-core cables, traditional fiber -optic systems |
| Deployment Focus | Transatlantic and intra-European connections |
| Key Drivers | Expanding internet connectivity, 5G rollouts, data center demand |
| Regulatory Landscape | Compliance with regional and international standards |
| Environmental Considerations | Limited focus on sustainability |
| Geographic Hotspots | UK, France, Germany, Netherlands |
| R&D Investment Focus | Fiber -optic technology, network resilience |
| Key Dimensions | 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|
| Cable Technology | Multi-core cables, advanced fiber -optics, hybrid cable systems |
| Deployment Focus | High-capacity transcontinental links, offshore wind energy cables |
| Key Drivers | Green energy transmission, IoT, 5G, cross-continent data traffic, digital economy |
| Regulatory Landscape | Growing focus on sustainability, eco-friendly manufacturing, and data privacy |
| Environmental Considerations | Eco-friendly cable materials, reduced environmental impact, offshore wind cable adoption |
| Geographic Hotspots | Expanding networks to Africa, Asia-Pacific, and enhanced inter-Europe connections |
| R&D Investment Focus | High-capacity fiber cables, subsea energy transmission, green cable materials |
Spain is bolstering its submarine cable market as Spain is positioned as a strategic player in submarine cable networks that connect important regions; Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Positive government initiatives, including the promotion of broadband digital infrastructure and support for sustainable energy-related projects, will continue to drive submarine cable installations for telecommunications and renewable energy applications in Spain. Furthermore, Spain’s robust maritime industry lends additional strength to its increasing significance in the submarine cable space.
The increasing demand for high-bandwidth internet, cloud services and data centres is driving a significant growth in submarine cables constructing in Spain. And companies are looking at submarine cables for offshore wind farms in an effort to improve energy transmission from renewables.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| Spain | 10.2% |
The United Kingdom submarine cable market is expected to benefit from increasing demand for speedier end-to-end connectivity and major investments in offshore energy projects. The UK is a critical hub for submarine cable landing stations, especially in London and Cornwall that link the UK to continental Europe, North America, and other markets worldwide. The emphasis on expanding 5G networks and improving the digital infrastructure in the UK is further driving the growth of the market.
The UK government had been emphasizing sustainability and developing offshore wind farms,thus leading to more investments for energy transmission through submarine cables. Ongoing cross-border connectivity in telecommunications and power is likely to boost the market further.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 11.5% |
The BENELUX submarine cable market is growing steadily due to the strategic geographical location of the Netherlands and Belgium as a submarine cable connectivity hub in Europe. These nations are closely connected to other parts of the world including the United States and Northern Europe and play a key role in transmitting data globally. Meanwhile, global demand for high-speed internet, data centre infrastructure and cloud services is fuelling investment in new submarine cables around the region.
Especially the Netherlands is doubling down on its digital infrastructure and energy transmission via renewables, where submarine cables are essential in bringing the offshore wind into the on-land energy grids. The intersection of digital and energy connectivity is forecasted to propel significant growth in the submarine cable space within the region.
| Region | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| BENELUX | 10.3% |
Demand for high capacity, dependable, and long-distance data transmission solutions are fueling the growth of the submarine cable sector in Western Europe. As countries and regions increasingly seek to interconnect, and as offshore energy projects such as wind farms become more commonplace, submarine cables are becoming a critical component of the region’s infrastructure.
Segments for submarine cable type, filling type provide insights about trends that are consistent with technological advancements in offshore connectivity and energy distribution. Service solutions and the durability of oil filled cables will help meet the high demand for submarine cables in the years to come.
| Solution Type | Market Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Service | 61.2% |
By 2025, services solution segment will continue to dominate the submarine cable industry in Western Europe, capturing 61.2% market share. Such dominance is attributed to the growing demand for submarine cables maintenance, installation and upgrade service. As offshore wind energy projects are expanding at a rapid pace, and the need for data transmission is continuously increasing between regions, service solutions are imperative to ensure that the cables are serviced, maintained and operated in an efficient manner.
Particular services are also contributing toward the growth of this segment particularly in conditions like deep-sea and weather-contended regions. Besides, the service providers are the ones that know and understand how to execute such complex and comprehensive underwater cable laying operations which require very high accuracy and reliability.
| Filling Type | Market Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Oil or Fluid Filled Cables | 72.9% |
As a filling type, oil-filled cables is a segment that dominates the overall landscape in Western Europe with a 72.9% market share in 2025. This trend is attributed to the fact that oil or fluid filled cables are known to be more reliable and performing, high-performance, insulating, protecting & high-performance cables that can work under underwater conditions.
These subsea cable systems, are subject to extreme conditions, such as pressure and temperature fluctuations, and are used in deep-sea applications such as offshore energy transmission and long-distance communication networks.
Oil-filled cables are superior mechanically and are protected against corrosion and moisture ingress, and they are also greatly superior in the long term. Their persistent application in critical infrastructure, making an anchor in offshore energy and transnational communication ventures, guarantees the ceaseless prerequisite for those oil-filled answers for submarine link industry.
Western Europe is witnessing a high growth in submarine cables owing to the increased demand for high-speed, robust data transmission for telecommunication, internet and energy applications. The growing demand for 5G networks, cloud computing and data centre demand is fuelling large investment in submarine cable infrastructure, in particular in the North Sea and the English Channel.
Growing demand for bandwidth has begun to spur increased investment in deep-sea technologies, enhanced cable durability, and eco-friendly materials. Moreover, the increasing facilities towards renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms, are accelerating the demand for strong submarine cable systems for power transmission. Collaboration between major cable producers, energy companies, and governments are increasingly common in this area.
Market Share Analysis by Company in Western Europe
| Company Name | Estimated Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Nexans | 20-25% |
| Prysmian Group | 18-22% |
| SubCom (TE SubCom ) | 15-20% |
| Huawei Marine Networks | 12-16% |
| Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (Nokia) | 10-14% |
| Other Companies (combined) | 25-30% |
| Company Name | Key Offerings/Activities |
|---|---|
| Nexans | In 2024, expanded offshore wind energy cable systems in the North Sea; in 2025, introduced new cable designs for enhanced resilience against extreme weather conditions. |
| Prysmian Group | In 2024, launched a next-generation, high-capacity submarine cable with low environmental impact; in 2025, expanded operations to support European data center interconnection projects. |
| SubCom (TE SubCom ) | In 2024, completed the installation of a new transatlantic cable system for enhanced data traffic; in 2025, focused on expanding its footprint in the offshore energy sector with the development of high-voltage cables. |
| Huawei Marine Networks | In 2024, extended its submarine cable network in the Mediterranean region; in 2025, focused on establishing strategic partnerships for new trans-Atlantic cable systems. |
| Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (Nokia) | In 2024, launched a project to develop ultra-fast, ultra-durable submarine cables for the North Sea region; in 2025, collaborated with European governments on new undersea cable infrastructure for 5G connectivity. |
Key Company Insights
Nexans (20-25%)
Nexans strengthens its position as #1 supplier in the Western European submarine cable market based on sustainability, new cable designs and renewable energy applications. Nexans further strengthened its position in 2024 with the development of next-generation cable technology for offshore wind farms, introducing products to improve cable lifespan and energy efficiency.
Prysmian Group (18-22%)
PRYSMIAN GROUP SOP is a global leader in the submarine cable market, providing innovative technology for telecommunications and energy segments. The purpose is strongly recommend the environment footprint less and improve the datacom, and they presented a new generation of high-capacity cables in 2024 for one of the project states in the supreme European interconnections of data centers.
SubCom (TE SubCom) (15-20%)
SubCom specializes in the high-demand transatlantic and intercontinental cable systems and is investing heavily in next-generation underwater cables. Wanted to branch out even further, into offshore energy, providing HVDC cables for the offshore wind market, which is on the rise in Europe.
Huawei Marine Networks (12-16%)
Huawei Marine Networks LLC has seen a rapid expansion in the Mediterranean marine networking, expanding the scale of submarine cables, improving coverage and capacity. Huawei is positioning itself as the world's premier telecom cable provider, with plans for long-term partnerships to invest in trans-Atlantic cable projects as European infrastructural investment momentum continues to grow.
Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (Nokia)(10 - 14%)
Alcatel-Lucent (Nokia) currently specializes in delivering high-speed, extremely resilient submarine cables geared to the key telecom and energy markets of Europe. Telia Company is delivering its growth in the Western European market, owing to its investments in the latest cable technologies and partnership with government in the improvement of 5G networks.
Other Key Players (25-30% Combined)
Other companies that have a big part in the underwater cable field in Western Europe are:
The overall market size for the submarine cable industry in Western Europe was USD 769.2 million in 2025.
The submarine cable industry in Western Europe is expected to reach USD 1,095.6 million in 2035.
The increasing demand for data as cloud computing, 5G technologies, IoT, and big data become ubiquitous will drive the demand for the submarine cable industry in Western Europe.
The United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain are expected to be the top contributors due to their strategic locations, strong maritime infrastructure, and significant investments in offshore energy projects.
The Oil or Fluid Filled Cables segment is expected to lead the submarine cable industry in Western Europe.
Western Europe Submarine Cable Market
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