数年前からパラオとグアムを結ぶ海底ケーブルの話が進んでいる。2010年11月にパラオで開催した海上保安事業会議に時にPNCCの社長から直接聞いた話である。１０年程前にも一度海底ケーブルの話が浮かんだが、費用対効果が悪いと却下されたようだ。
先日訪ねて来られた慶応大学の菅谷実教授が主催する事業の一環で、太平洋の海底ケーブルを研究する同大学の土屋教授が本件についてご存知なかったので、情報提供をさせていただく機会があった。
別に土屋教授のアンテナが低いという訳ではなく、こんな事を知っているのは日本で私だけであろうし、世界でも三桁にならない人数だと思う。他にもつまらない事を指摘してしまい、土屋教授には余計なおせっかいをしてしまったかもしれない。
米軍の迎撃ミサイル基地があるマーシャル諸島のクワジェリンとグアムを結ぶ海底ケーブルが施設されたのは数年前。それまで使用していた衛星では０．５秒の遅延が発生し、迎撃に間に合わない事が要因である。
米軍基地のないパラオに海底ケーブルが施設される可能性は低いと思っていたが、地震が活発で毎年２、３本は海底ケーブルが切れるフィリピン近海を通るよりパラオ経由の方が安全であるとのこと。即ちパラオが南半球（東チモール）と北半球を結ぶ海底ケーブルのハブなる可能性があるのだ。
この件は昨年４月に発表された大統領の年次報告でも述べられている。下記に抜粋する。コンパクトの基金を使う事を提案している。
それからPolyconseilというフランスの会社が出した"Technical, Economic and Financial Connectivity Study for Palau and YAP"なんて報告書もある。早速土屋教授に教えてあげよう。
POLY_WB_REPORT_PALAU_YAP_v0.7.pdf
President Toribionq’s SORA 2011
Text of President Johnson Toribiong’s 2011 Annual Progress Report Delivered to the Senate and House of Delegates of the Eighth Olbiil Era Kelulau on April 28, 2011
As I will advise a bit later in my presentation, Section 5 of the new Compact Agreement that I signed with the Government of the United States in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 3, 2010, provides that Palau will receive grants totaling $40 million towards one or more mutually agreed infrastructure projects, including $8 million in Fiscal Year 2011. As you may be aware, for some time now my Administration has been pursuing the installation of an underwater fiber optic cable linking Palau with the outside world for communications purposes. This is my highest priority for the new infrastructure. It is a critical component. Palau ‘s economy will never develop unless and until we have access to broadband Internet access that only an underwater cable can provide.
With my consent and at my urging, over the last year PNCC has taken the lead in developing a plan outlining the available alternatives for an underwater fiber optic cable. PNCC will ultimately be responsible for procuring, operating and maintaining the underwater fiber optic cable. At its own expense PNCC has developed a Palau Submarine Fiber Optic Cable Business Case & Feasibility Study, which I fully support and endorse.
PNCC’s Study concludes that the best alternative available to Palau is to recover and reroute an existing underwater cable. As the global need for Internet bandwidth increases, existing underwater cables are being replaced with cables of greater capacity. This alternative to deploying a brand new cable will save Palau as much as $20-25 million over the cost of new cable yet provide Palau with more than sufficient capacity to handle its bandwidth needs into the foreseeable future. The savings are immense and can be used to fund other essential capital improvements in Palau. Moreover, the cable will be available for use within a relative short period of time, perhaps within one year.
PNCC now has an opportunity to purchase an existing cable connecting Guam to the Philippines. However, the date to tender proposals is rapidly approaching. PNCC is in the process of seeking a bridge loan to fund the procurement of this cable. I have proposed to the Office of Insular Affairs within the U.S. Department of the Interior that the underwater fiber optic cable linking Palau to the outside world be the first mutually agreed infrastructure project funded by the new. If the United States agrees, I intend to use the available grant funds to fund the purchase, recovery and redeployment of the cable to Palau.
