As part of a strategy to assert itself as an international digital communications platform, Portugal marks the launch of Google's transatlantic submarine cable, Nuvem, on 21 July. The submarine cable will connect Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina, in the United States, to Sines, in Portugal. There will be intermediate points in Bermuda and the Azores.

The new infrastructure aims to increase the resilience of transatlantic communications to meet the continued growth in global demand for digital services, as well as data transmission capacity and cloud computing infrastructure.

The inauguration ceremony takes place at the Lisbon Oceanarium with the presence of the Deputy Minister for State Reform, Gonçalo Mations, and presents the submarine cable as a step in the consolidation of Portugal as Europe's digital gateway.

Nuvem thus becomes Google's second major international submarine cable system, which will be directly connected to Portuguese territory, after Equiano, opened in 2022. However, Cape Sol, to the Azores, is already in preparation for 2027, reinforcing the role of the Portuguese archipelago in intercontinental connections.

The Cloud will bring more robustness to Google's global network, promoting new transmission routes between North America and Europe. Thus, the risks of service interruptions may decrease, and the capacity to use digital platforms, cloud services, artificial intelligence and international data traffic will increase. The project is also a pioneer in a direct submarine cable connection between Bermuda.

Nuvem launch

The launch of Nuvem comes about a year after the Portuguese State formally recognised the project as a relevant action of public interest, which allowed the cable to be integrated into areas where a National Ecological Reserve is located, in the municipality of Sines.

The classification was assigned after favourable opinions from competent authorities, including the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). The APA reinforced that the infrastructure did not require an environmental impact assessment, as it is not likely to cause major negative environmental effects.

During the conversations, the Government justified the importance of the project by saying that Nuvem could increase international connectivity and contribute to the fulfilment of the Strategy of the National Spatial Planning Policy Program and the Agenda for the Territory.

Google's investment will also reinforce the growing centrality of Sines, becoming one of the main European hubs for digital connectivity.

The location on the Alentejo coast, where there are already data centres and several international connections via submarine cable, has made the region a strategic point for data traffic between Europe, America and Africa.