Google has officially launched its Nuvem transatlantic submarine cable project, a major infrastructure initiative designed to connect Portugal, Bermuda and the United States while strengthening the resilience of international data networks.
The launch ceremony took place Tuesday at Lisbon’s Oceanarium, where Portuguese officials and industry representatives highlighted the strategic importance of the new digital corridor across the Atlantic.
The project was first announced by Google in 2023. The approximately 7,000-kilometre cable will connect Sines in Portugal with Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, with intermediate connections in Bermuda and the Azores.
The system will contain 16 pairs of fibre-optic cables and is expected to provide total capacity of about 384 terabits per second, according to Reuters. The cable is expected to become operational next year.
Portugal’s Minister Delegate for State Reform Gonçalo Matias said the project would create an additional route for data between Europe and North America at a time when submarine cables carry most of the world’s international communications traffic.
Submarine fibre-optic systems are considered the backbone of the global internet, carrying around 99 per cent of international data traffic. They support everything from phone calls and video services to financial transactions and cloud computing.
The Nuvem project is intended to add diversity to existing Atlantic routes and reduce dependence on a limited number of heavily used corridors. Google said the system would improve network resilience and support growing demand for digital services.
Portuguese telecommunications company MEO is joining the project as an investor and national partner. The company said a direct Portugal-US connection could make the country more attractive for data centres, cloud platforms and international technology services.
Nuvem is part of a wider Google investment in submarine cable infrastructure. The company previously developed Equiano, which links Europe and Africa, and Firmina, which connects the US with South America. Another planned system, Sol, is expected to connect the United States, Bermuda, the Azores and Spain.
Portugal’s location is central to its growing role in the sector. Matias described the country as Europe’s westernmost point and a natural link between Europe, the Americas and Africa.
Officials also pointed to Portugal’s political stability, skilled workforce and growing supply of renewable energy as factors supporting its appeal for digital infrastructure investment.
The country is among the European Union members where renewable sources account for more than 95 per cent of electricity generation, according to 2024 data cited by Pordata.
Google has also highlighted Portugal’s efforts to expand its digital economy infrastructure. The Nuvem project is expected to strengthen the country’s position as a strategic hub for global connectivity and support future investment in technology and data services.
