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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.