The Daily Journal. — Digital infrastructure company Cirion Technologies announced that the specialized vessel assigned to repair the submarine cable connecting Venezuela to international networks is already heading toward Venezuelan waters. The operation aims to fully restore connectivity disrupted by the earthquakes that struck on June 24.
The company said in a statement that the vessel will make a technical stop in Curaçao to take on specialized personnel and load the necessary materials before beginning repairs to the cable, which sustained damage about 1,800 meters off the coast of La Guaira.
According to Cirion, the vessel’s deployment marks the beginning of the final phase of recovery for the international fiber-optic link. The outage forced the company to activate contingency plans to maintain service.
Cirion said it restored its metropolitan network in Caracas in less than 48 hours after the earthquakes and activated alternative routes, keeping service available to more than 60% of its customers while preparations continued for permanent repairs.
The company credited its rapid response to its membership in an international submarine cable maintenance cooperative, which gives it priority access to specialized vessels for incidents of this kind.
Cirion also highlighted its coordination with the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) and other Venezuelan government agencies to accelerate authorization for the maritime operation.
“We deeply appreciate the support of Conatel and all the authorities who made it possible to move at this speed. What we achieved together in 14 days would normally take months. That is what will allow Venezuela to return to 100% connectivity,” said María Claudia Rey Castillo, President of Cirion Technologies’ Northern Cluster, as quoted in the company’s statement.
According to Cirion, the repair operation includes locating the damaged section with remotely operated underwater vehicles, recovering both ends of the cable to inspect for additional damage, splicing the optical fibers with precision equipment, and reinstalling the cable on the seabed to restore the international connection.
Cirion did not provide a completion date for the work but said the vessel’s deployment represents the final step before fully restoring the international connectivity affected by the earthquakes.
