Government Initiates Submarine Cable Feasibility Study

The Cayman Islands Government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure, has announced that advisory firm Grant Thornton Specialist Services (Cayman) Limited (Grant Thornton) has been contracted to undertake a formal feasibility study into the modernisation of the Islands’ submarine cable infrastructure.

This follows a selection exercise initiated in December 2021, which attracted extensive international interest from several professional services and specialist submarine cable consultancies. It also builds on extensive industry and stakeholder consultations conducted by the Government over the past eighteen months.

The feasibility study, to be prepared by subsea systems experts Pioneer Consulting, will be used to guide Government’s decision making around moving forward with a major submarine cable infrastructure investment project.

Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. Jay Ebanks stated that commissioning a study reflects a robust approach being taken by the Government to transform the international connectivity of the Islands. “We are bringing in world class experts to help analyse the options and identify the best approach to take in regard to this major infrastructure project. This initiative forms a key pillar of our strategy to ensure the Cayman Islands benefit from world class connectivity in order to underpin a transformation of our economy and society into a thriving digital future”, he said.

In commenting on their support of the project, Partner and Head of Public Services at Grant Thornton Will McWilliams noted, “Grant Thornton are delighted to be working with the Cayman Islands Government on this important initiative and bringing the benefit of both our own global experience on major infrastructure projects and the specialist submarine cable expertise of Pioneer Consulting as part of our team. We are very much looking forward to working together on this crucial initiative”.

In its 2022-2024 Strategic Policy Statement, the Cayman Islands Government highlighted that one of its broad outcomes is to build a modern infrastructure which includes providing funding for the implementation of a new underwater communications cable to ensure that the Cayman Islands remain connected to the world.