Salience Consulting wins landmark role in Chile – Antarctica submarine cable project

Chile has commissioned a major feasibility study for a submarine fibre-optic link that would connect South America to Antarctica, marking a pivotal moment for polar science and resilient communications in one of the planet’s most sensitive regions. The initiative is led by Chile’s Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel) with support from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF). A consortium featuring Dubai-based Salience Consulting and US-headquartered Pioneer Consulting has been selected to carry out the work.

The proposed route spans roughly 1,000 kilometres from Puerto Williams, at the southern tip of Chile, to King George Island in the South Shetland Islands. If ultimately built, the cable would represent the first high-capacity terrestrial link between the continent and Antarctica’s research hubs—moving beyond the satellite connections that currently dominate and are often constrained by bandwidth, latency, and weather.

Why this matters for climate and ecology

Antarctica is a living laboratory for understanding Earth’s rapidly changing climate. High-speed, low-latency connectivity could accelerate how quickly environmental data—from ice-sheet dynamics to ocean chemistry and biodiversity—flows into global climate models. Faster, continuous transmission from autonomous sensors, ocean gliders, and remote stations would sharpen forecasting, improve early-warning systems for extreme events, and deepen international collaboration on polar research. That collaboration is essential under the Antarctic Treaty System, which prioritizes science, environmental protection, and peaceful cooperation.

Enhanced connectivity also carries responsibilities. Any infrastructure in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters must avoid harm to marine mammals, seabirds, and benthic communities. Route engineering will need to consider penguin foraging zones, whale migration corridors, iceberg scouring on the continental shelf, and sensitive seafloor habitats. The feasibility phase will be expected to align with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol), applying rigorous environmental impact assessments and mitigation measures.

Who is involved and what they will assess

Following a competitive tender earlier this year, Salience Consulting and Pioneer Consulting were chosen to examine the project’s technical, legal, financial, and environmental dimensions. Their remit includes evaluating scientific demand, designing potential routes, assessing permitting and treaty compliance, and sketching operational models that ensure both resilience and sustainability.

Chile’s existing Fibra Óptica Austral network reaches Puerto Williams, potentially providing a powerful terrestrial backbone for onward connectivity. The study will look at how to leverage that asset, integrate with international research networks, and set service levels suited to field stations that increasingly rely on cloud-based workflows, high-resolution imagery, and real-time collaboration tools.

Engineering the Drake Passage

Linking to King George Island requires laying cable across waters known for fierce storms, powerful currents, and complex seabed conditions. Engineers will need to weigh burial depths, armouring near shorelines, and cable protection at choke points. Avoiding submarine landslides, anchoring areas, and zones of intense iceberg activity will be essential. While there are precedents for cables in high-latitude seas, the combination of environmental protections and extreme weather in the Drake Passage makes this one of the most challenging subsea proposals in the Southern Hemisphere.

On the sustainability front, careful planning can reduce disturbance: timing installation outside peak breeding and migration seasons, using precise route surveys to skirt ecologically rich seabeds, and applying low-impact laying techniques. Electromagnetic fields from power feeding equipment and long-term maintenance procedures will also come under scrutiny.

Economic case and timeline

The feasibility study, slated to conclude by April 2026, will test whether anticipated demand—from research institutions, national programs, and potential operational partners—justifies the investment and ongoing maintenance. Beyond the scientific community, improved connectivity could strengthen safety operations, logistics coordination, and emergency response across the sub-Antarctic. The study will also consider governance models that reflect Antarctica’s unique legal status and the need for open, equitable access among participating nations.

Regional and global context

Chile aims to position itself as a southern digital gateway, leveraging its geography and existing infrastructure to knit together environmental observation and science collaboration at the end of the world. The selection of Salience Consulting and Pioneer Consulting underscores the growing globalisation of digital infrastructure expertise, with firms from the Middle East and North America increasingly engaged in complex subsea and remote-area projects.

What successful delivery could unlock

• Faster climate science: high-throughput transfer of satellite downlinks, sensor streams, and model outputs between Antarctic stations and global data centres.
• Better biodiversity monitoring: real-time audio and video for species surveys, enabling non-invasive observation of whales, seals, and seabirds.
• Operational resilience: low-latency communications for medical support, field safety, and logistics amid extreme weather.
• International cooperation: a shared digital corridor that supports joint expeditions, data sharing, and training across national programs.

As the study advances, the pivotal questions will centre on environmental integrity and scientific value: Can a cable be routed and installed with minimal ecological cost? Will the gains for climate research and safety justify the footprint? If the answers align, the project could redefine how the world connects with its most remote and climate-critical frontier.