This new system, which was named after the Portuguese word “cloud”, says the technology company, “will improve the resilience of the network in the Atlantic and help respond to the growing demand for digital services”.

The route of the new cable “will add diversity to international routes and support the development of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for the continents and countries involved”.

Nuvem’s mooring points “embraced this opportunity and urgency and are quickly emerging as gateways and hubs for international connectivity”, says Google.

In recent years, the Government of Bermuda has made “significant efforts to attract investment in submarine cable infrastructure and create an Atlantic digital hub — including passing new legislation to create cable corridors and simplify licensing.”

With plans to moor in Portugal, Nuvem “is the latest member of Portugal’s submarine cable portfolio that also includes Equiano, the recently completed system linking Portugal to Togo, Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa and Saint Helena,” adds Google.

“Google's investment embodies our vision for Portugal in the telecommunications and data sectors: establishing our country as a thriving connectivity gateway to Europe, promoting robust connections with other continents. The Portuguese Government considers this investment very important and was only possible thanks to the great coordination and dialogue between the Ministry, Portuguese entities and Google”, says the Minister of Infrastructure, João Galamba.

“Our goal is to transform these information highways into catalysts that attract additional investment in cutting-edge technological sectors, driving the country towards an effective digital transformation. This aspiration has been our firm focus in recent months, boosting our efforts to attract this type of investment, through improvements in our communication infrastructures and defining a clear roadmap for the sector”.

Bermuda connection

Nuvem “will not only be the first cable to land in this robust environment, but also the first to connect Bermuda to Europe”, adds the company.

“The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) welcomes Google's announcement that Bermuda will be home to a new transatlantic cable on its way to becoming an Atlantic digital hub,” says David Hart, Executive Chairman (CEO) of the Bermuda Business Development Agency.

BDA “has long argued that Bermuda's centrality makes it an ideal arrival and interconnection point for submarine cables between the Americas, Europe and Africa and we are very excited that these efforts have borne fruit. With around 95% of the world's communications being carried on submarine cable networks, Bermuda's role as an international data traffic switch will provide greater resilience and network redundancy to countries on both sides of the Atlantic over the next decades”.


USA connection

On the United States side, the Nuvem will have South Carolina as its mooring point.

"The arrival of the cable will further establish the State as a growing technology center, increasing connectivity and job diversification", following in the footsteps of Firmina, who arrived in South Carolina at the beginning of this year and who will in order to connect with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

"Scheduled to enter service in 2026, the Cloud will add capacity, increase reliability and reduce latency for Google users and Google Cloud customers around the world", says the technology company. Together with Firmina and Equiano, "it will create important new data corridors that connect North America, South America, Europe and Africa — serving as a kind of underwater roots that strengthen the intercontinental network, while also bring people and economies together from around the world", concludes Google.