Selv om kabellægning anses for at være levering af en tjeneste (forbundet med eller underordnet leveringen af tjenesteydelser inden for søtransport), finder retningslinjerne anvendelse på kabellægning, eftersom kabellægning også opfylder retningslinjernes målsætninger.
Therefore, even though cable-laying activities would be considered as the provision of a service (incidental or ancillary to the provision of maritime transport services), the Guidelines are applicable to cable-laying activities, since these activities also fulfil the objectives of the Guidelines.