Sparkle, Italy’s leading international service provider, has successfully landed its BlueMed submarine cable in Chania, Crete. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Italian Ambassador’s Residence in Athens, attended by key figures including Paolo Cuculi, the Italian Ambassador, and Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance.
The BlueMed cable, a new venture by Sparkle, connects Italy with France, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries. It is part of the larger Blue & Raman Submarine Cable Systems, developed in collaboration with Google and other partners, extending connections to the Middle East and India. Designed with four fibre pairs and an initial capacity exceeding 25 Terabits per second per pair, BlueMed aims to deliver high-speed internet and robust digital solutions to a diverse range of users including ISPs, telecom operators, and enterprises.
Construction of BlueMed began in 2023, starting with the Tyrrhenian trunk from Genoa to Palermo, and extending to various Mediterranean destinations. The cable’s journey from Palermo to Crete marks a significant milestone, with plans for further Mediterranean landings and full operational capacity from Genoa to Aqaba expected later this year.
In Crete, BlueMed integrates with Sparkle’s data centre in Chania, enhancing the region’s connectivity through the MedNautilus network which links mainland Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Sparkle is also planning to expand this hub to accommodate additional projects like GreenMed, aiming to create a low-latency route connecting Central Europe, the Balkans, and Eastern Mediterranean countries.
Italian Ambassador Paolo Cuculi highlighted the strategic importance of Crete in the digital connectivity between Italy and Mediterranean partners, praising Sparkle’s role in the digital transition. Minister Papastergiou emphasized the critical infrastructure’s role in boosting Greece’s connectivity and supporting the EU’s strategic autonomy.
Enrico Bagnasco, Sparkle’s CEO, noted the long-term vision for Greece as a digital hub in the Mediterranean, while Daniele Mancuso, CEO of Sparkle Greece, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to enhancing Greece’s digital ecosystem through robust infrastructure and innovative services.
