TAT-8 Undersea Cable Recovered for Recycling in South Africa
The historic TAT-8, the first transatlantic fibre-optic cable, is being pulled from the Atlantic seabed for recycling in South Africa after over two decades. Laid by AT&T, British Telecom, and France Telecom, TAT-8 connected the US, UK, and France and began operations on December 14, 1998. Recovery efforts by Subsea Environmental Services commenced last year, with 1,012 kilometers of cable retrieved by August. The cable will be processed by Mertech Marine to extract valuable materials, including high-quality copper.
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The TAT-8 cable, the first fibre-optic cable laid across the ocean, is being removed from the Atlantic seabed for recycling after over 20 years. This cable, which connected the US, UK, and France and began operations on December 14, 1998, is being replaced due to performance issues.
Recovery is being conducted by Subsea Environmental Services, which has already retrieved 1,012 kilometers of cable using the MV Maasvliet by August 2025. The cable will be recycled by Mertech Marine in South Africa, where valuable materials such as steel, copper, and polyethylene will be extracted.
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