Interconnect Malta (ICM) has advanced to the next phase of the Second Interconnector (IC2) project after completing the Detailed Marine Route Survey (DMRS).This milestone marks the start of the Identification and Clearance (ID&C) campaign, a technical operation critical to ensuring the safety and integrity of the 99-kilometre submarine cable route between Malta and Sicily.The campaign follows a detailed survey conducted to refine the submarine cable route. During the survey, several magnetic targets buried under the seabed were detected, requiring further investigation to confirm their nature and ensure safe cable installation.Initially, 707 magnetic targets were identified, but post-survey analysis reduced the number to 393 requiring closer inspection. The ID&C campaign will use specialised equipment to examine each site, removing or relocating obstacles that could pose a risk to the interconnector.These features, only revealed in the detailed survey’s precise eight-metre-wide sub-seabed corridor, were not detected in earlier preliminary studies conducted across wider corridors. While this presented an additional technical challenge, the issue was addressed with the launch of the ID&C campaign to verify and prepare the route.The operations involve offshore survey specialists, divers, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts, supported by specialised vessels and equipment. Investigations will vary by water depth, ranging from deep-water inspections around 170 metres using remotely operated vehicles to diver-assisted checks in shallower areas.Objects deemed non-hazardous will be safely managed or recovered on-site, while unexploded ordnance will be dealt with in coordination with the Armed Forces of Malta and Italian authorities, following established safety procedures.ICM Manager Inġ. Christian Spiteri described the transition to the ID&C phase as “a significant step in the project timeline” and stressed that ensuring a hazard-free route is essential for personnel safety and successful cable installation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)Energy Minister Miriam Dalli highlighted the strategic importance of the IC2 project, noting it “will double Malta’s interconnection capacity, strengthen security of supply, and support the country’s shift toward a sustainable and resilient energy system.”The IC2 project, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), involves a ~122km, 225MW HVAC submarine cable between Maghtab, Malta, and Ragusa, Sicily.It is designed to run parallel at a safe distance to the existing HVAC link commissioned in 2015. The €300 million project, designated an “Operation of Strategic Importance,” will receive €165 million in ERDF funding, covering more than half the total investment.Once completed, the interconnector will not only increase energy security but also encourage renewable energy integration, helping Malta manage the intermittent nature of solar and offshore wind power. According to the project’s cost-benefit analysis, it will reduce 13.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, reinforcing Malta’s long-term decarbonisation goals.More information about the project can be found on ICM Projects.•