The IOEMA project is establishing a state-of-the-art, AI-ready, high-capacity fibre-optic connection between the five key Northern European markets. Spanning 1,600 kilometres, the project will directly connect the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway, whilst connectivity with France is also being explored. IOEMA is addressing international tensions and security concerns by fully armouring the submarine cable and securing it along its entire length. IOEMA is also considering adding sensors to the system, making it the first SMART cable in Northern Europe. For this initiative, IOEMA is collaborating with partners including Eurofiber, Arelion, Colt, EXA Infrastructure, Relined, Bulk and EWE TEL.

The latest partnership with Greenhouse Datacenters has been driven, amongst other things, by the location of these Tier III data centres in South Holland, in the Westland region, approximately 12 kilometres from the point where the submarine cable from the North Sea comes ashore at Scheveningen/The Hague. The extensive presence of connectivity partners in Greenhouse’s data centres also plays a role, including AMS-IX, Lumen, Delta Fiber, Odido and DCspine, alongside IOEMA partners such as Eurofiber and Relined.

“We are delighted to announce an additional landing partner for the second Dutch landing point of the IOEMA fibre-optic cable, in the Rotterdam/The Hague region,” says Eckhard Bruckschen, CTO of IOEMA Fibre Ltd. “By partnering with Greenhouse Datacentres, IOEMA can connect to the existing connectivity ecosystem there, including a direct AMS-IX PoP on-site. This makes the IOEMA submarine cable accessible to the wider market in South Holland and beyond. Organisations in this region can benefit, via Greenhouse, from ultra-fast, redundant, secure and AI-ready connections to other internet hubs in Northern Europe.”

Greenhouse Data Centres: strategic digital hub

According to Ruben van der Zwan, CEO of Greenhouse Datacenters, the decision to select Greenhouse Datacenters as the landing partner for the IOEMA submarine cable underlines the strategic importance of these data centres in the Westland region for South Holland and the Netherlands as a whole.

“The Axiom/Terabit report ‘Study on the development of submarine cables’, which was recently on the agenda of the House of Representatives, has already discussed at length the strategic national importance of new submarine cables for the Netherlands,” says Van der Zwan. “New submarine cables strengthen the digital business climate in the Netherlands. Together with data centres and internet exchanges, such a submarine cable forms the basis for the Netherlands’ further economic development as an international digital hub. The landing of the submarine cable at Greenhouse Datacenters is therefore much more than just a strong international network connection. It strengthens the Netherlands’ European digital and economic competitiveness, our data sovereignty and digital resilience, whilst reducing vulnerability to network sabotage and damage.”

“At the same time, it clearly positions Greenhouse Datacentres as a strategic addition to the busy Amsterdam data centre market,” says Van der Zwan. “The ultra-low latency between Greenhouse and Amsterdam. The AMS-IX PoP on-site at Greenhouse. Our sustainability, available power and scalability. And now, direct connections to Northern European internet hubs via the IOEMA submarine cable. This makes Greenhouse an important strategic data centre alternative to Amsterdam in South Holland.”

“The submarine cable landing station at Greenhouse is much more than a technical facility; it is a strategic digital hub,” says Rick Pijpers, who is involved in the project as a strategic adviser via PWDR.AI. “A data centre that functions as a landing station becomes a gateway to international data traffic, attracting ecosystems of carriers, cloud providers and businesses, thereby strengthening the digital economy. For Greenhouse and IOEMA, this not only strengthens their own position but also boosts international connectivity between Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium. This creates a new sovereign AI corridor linking the locations where AI factories will be established in the coming years with key centres such as The Hague, Rotterdam and Brussels.”

According to Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX, the landing of the submarine cable at Greenhouse’s data centres in Westland strengthens the AMS-IX Point-of-Presence located there. “This makes Greenhouse a powerful digital hub and an important alternative to the Amsterdam data centre market,” says Van Burgel. “Powered by AI applications, the IOEMA submarine cable will bring a significant volume of international digital traffic to Greenhouse, whilst the existing AMS-IX PoP enables direct interconnection with international and regional carrier, cloud, ISP and content networks. This ensures speed, redundancy and (cost) efficiency in network traffic, which will strengthen the South Holland region as a whole as a digital hub.”

About IOEMA Fibre Ltd.

IOEMA Fibre Ltd. was founded in 2023 following four years of project development. The company is building a state-of-the-art 1,600-kilometre subsea fibre-optic network featuring advanced repeater technology. This connectivity ecosystem links five key markets in Northern Europe: the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway. Further connectivity with France is also being considered. The system, comprising 24 fibre pairs, offers a total capacity of up to 1.0 Pb/s, thereby setting a new standard in high-quality international connectivity.

For more information about IOEMA Fibre Ltd., please visit: https://ioemafibre.eu/.