Japan Unleashes Subsea Fleet to Power Asia Pacific Connectivity

Japan funds new NEC cable-laying ships to secure regional networks and speed repairs; firms should plan for faster, more resilient APAC infrastructure

1 Dec 2025

Japan is preparing to fund a new fleet of vessels designed to install and repair subsea cables, aiming to increase resilience in the Asia Pacific digital infrastructure as demand for cloud services and cross-border data traffic grows.

Preliminary plans indicate several next-generation ships, each expected to cost about $300mn. The government is set to cover a substantial share of the investment. NEC, the long-established supplier of subsea cable systems, is viewed as the likely industrial partner, although final approvals have not been completed.

The initiative comes amid a shortage of cable ships worldwide that has slowed new builds and delayed emergency repairs. Analysts say the move reflects rising concerns among regional governments about dependence on distant fleets for critical maintenance of data routes.

NEC executives have highlighted operational risks, noting that ageing repair vessels and longer dispatch times have increased vulnerability to outages. They point to natural hazards such as earthquakes and accidental strikes from commercial shipping as persistent threats to the subsea network that supports finance, logistics, healthcare and media services.

Industry observers warn that government-backed ships could influence competition for future commercial projects and that regulatory processes may extend construction timelines. But supporters argue that additional regional capacity would reduce repair delays and strengthen resilience across Asia Pacific.

If approvals progress as expected, the first vessels could enter service before the end of the decade, expanding the region's ability to maintain the cables that carry most of its international data traffic.