project brief

Transcaspian Fiber Optic Project

category

Commercial

client

World Bank

start date

March 2023

end date

July 2023

location

Caspian Sea

the challenge

The Transcaspian Fiber Optic project aimed to establish a strategic submarine cable across a geopolitically sensitive and environmentally diverse Caspian Sea region, linking Sumgait in Azerbaijan to Aktau in Kazakhstan. The design required robust technical assessments under complex marine conditions, along with compliance to regional regulations and cross-border coordination.

WFN and TMG assessed technical, financial, and environmental feasibility for the World Bank, managing stakeholder alignment across government bodies and financiers while navigating the unique ecological concerns of the Caspian basin. Challenges included ensuring route viability, mitigating marine deployment risks, and integrating sustainability criteria within the program's standards.

project goals

  • Complete a comprehensive technical and environmental due-diligence study

  • Validate system design and route viability across the Caspian Sea

  • Manage stakeholder coordination between governments, financial institutions, and agencies

  • Provide risk mitigation strategies for geopolitical and marine environment constraints

  • Enable informed decision-making to support regional connectivity via the World Bank

the result

WFN Strategies (in partnership with TMG) delivered a detailed due-diligence package that validated the Transcaspian Fiber Optic Project’s technical and environmental readiness. The study underpinned the World Bank's decision-making process and positioned the project as foundational to enhancing digital infrastructure and economic development in Central Asia.

related projects

  • Transpacific Cable System I

    Technical due diligence for the Transcaspian Fiber Optic Project, linking Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan across the Caspian Sea.

  • Transpacific Cable System II

    Technical due diligence for a state-of-the-art trans‑Pacific submarine cable connecting New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.

  • Hudson Bay Cable Study

    Desktop feasibility and routing study for a subsea mining cable across Hudson Bay, Canada.