On a Tuesday morning in Lisbon, at the city's Oceanarium, Google officially launched its Nuvem transatlantic submarine cable system. The project, first announced in 2023, will stretch approximately 7,000 kilometres across the Atlantic, linking Portugal, Bermuda, and the United States. Portuguese Minister Delegate for State Reform Gonçalo Matias described it as a new digital corridor connecting North America and Europe.
Submarine cables carry around 99% of all international data traffic—everything from phone calls and streaming video to financial transactions and cloud computing. Unlike satellites, which have limited bandwidth and can be disrupted by weather, these fibre-optic cables rest on the ocean floor, protected by layers of steel, copper, and polymers. While not immune to failure—most damage comes from fishing or anchoring accidents, followed by natural hazards like earthquakes—they remain the backbone of global connectivity.
What is Nuvem?
Nuvem consists of 16 pairs of fibre-optic cables, offering a total capacity of roughly 384 terabits per second. On the US side, the cable will make landfall in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In Portugal, the landing station will be in Sines, with intermediate stops in Bermuda and the Azores. The system is expected to become operational next year.
Google stated that Nuvem is designed to improve network resilience in the Atlantic and meet growing demand for digital services. The route was chosen to add diversity to international data pathways and support ICT infrastructure development for the countries involved. Minister Matias emphasised that the project creates alternative data transmission routes, reducing Europe's reliance on a small number of congested corridors.
Key Players and Partnerships
The Nuvem system is a partnership between Google and MEO, Portugal's largest telecommunications provider. MEO confirmed it will join as an investor and national partner, though it did not disclose the size of its investment. The company noted that the direct Portugal-US connection strengthens the country's attractiveness for data centres, cloud platforms, and global technology services.
This is not Google's first submarine cable in the Atlantic. In 2022, the Equiano cable linked Western Europe to Africa's west coast, connecting Portugal to South Africa. The Firmina cable connects the US east coast to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay) but does not involve Portugal. Another project, Sol, will connect the US, Bermuda, the Azores, and Spain, further enhancing transatlantic resilience.
Portugal's role in these projects is no accident. As Minister Matias put it, the country sits at the westernmost edge of Europe, the point closest to the Americas and a natural bridge to Africa. Google has also highlighted Portugal's strategic geographical location in southwestern mainland Europe.
The Nuvem system arrives at a time when the European Union is increasingly focused on digital sovereignty and infrastructure resilience. The project aligns with broader EU efforts to diversify data routes and reduce dependency on non-European hubs. It also comes as Brussels tightens scrutiny of big tech, with the EU set to fine Google €1 billion under the Digital Markets Act, as reported by Handelsblatt. Meanwhile, the European Commission has ordered Google to share search data and open Android to rival AI services, signalling a push for more competition in digital markets.
For Portugal, Nuvem represents a strategic bet on becoming a digital gateway between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The country's Atlantic coastline, already home to several submarine cable landings, is poised to attract further investment in data infrastructure. As global data traffic continues to surge—driven by AI, streaming, and cloud services—projects like Nuvem will be critical to keeping Europe connected and competitive.
