Developments in subsea power and telecommunication cables detection: Part 1 – Visual and hydroacoustic tracking

Subsea power and telecommunication transmission lines play an important role in today's world. They not only provide a link from shore to shore, but also connect an increasing number of offshore wind farms, wave power plants and other sea installations.

Subsea cables have to be periodically maintained and checked for movement in terms of their position and burial depth. This task is difficult because of the dynamic environment of the sea floor, which can cause changes in position, depth, visibility and access to the utilities.

In this review, developments in visual and hydroacoustic tracking are discussed, as are theoretical and practical concerns. This review also describes methods and tools for detection of the transmission lines laid on a seabed. Finally, it highlights the need to construct a simple reliable system to estimate the position and burial depth of subsea transmission lines.