Why is Finland establishing a new maritime surveillance centre?

Finland is establishing a new maritime surveillance centre in the Gulf of Finland to protect critical undersea infrastructure like cables and pipelines from potential sabotage due to heightened regional tensions.

What measures will the new surveillance centre use?

The centre will utilize preventive measures including seabed sensors and artificial intelligence for enhanced, real-time analysis of maritime traffic and information exchange with allies.

What incidents have led to this new surveillance initiative?

Recent incidents include the suspected sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable by a cargo vessel in December 2025, and damage to a gas pipeline and cables in 2023 by a Chinese container ship.

Home / War and Conflict / Finland to Guard Baltic Sea's Undersea Cables

Finland to Guard Baltic Sea's Undersea Cables

26 Jan

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Summary

Finland is establishing a maritime surveillance centre in the Gulf of Finland.
The centre will monitor undersea cables and pipelines for potential sabotage.
This initiative follows recent incidents involving damaged infrastructure.

Finland to Guard Baltic Sea's Undersea Cables

Finland is set to launch a new maritime surveillance centre in the Gulf of Finland, bolstering the protection of vital undersea infrastructure. This strategic initiative is a direct response to escalating regional tensions and a series of incidents impacting critical undersea links, including power cables, telecommunications, and gas pipelines, which have occurred since February 2025.

The Finnish Border Guard announced the plan, emphasizing cooperation with other Baltic Sea states and the European Commission. The centre will implement a broader joint action plan proposed by the Commission in February 2025, aiming to enhance the security of submarine cables across the region. Preventive measures will include seabed sensors and artificial intelligence for real-time analysis of maritime traffic.