EXA Infrastructure and Bulk Fiber Networks announce strategic partnership including the Havfrue transatlantic cable system

EXA Infrastructure, the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America, and Bulk Fiber Networks today announce they have entered into a strategic partnership including the Havfrue subsea cable connecting the US to Norway and Denmark and into EXA’s extensive European backbone.

Havfrue will be fully integrated with EXA’s extensive European and US network, providing onward connectivity to hundreds of on net data centres and cable landing stations. Combined with EXA’s other transatlantic routes customers can benefit from multiple protection and diversity options to provide extremely high levels of availability. 

This partnership will provide existing and prospective customers with a new diversified route starting in the US at New Jersey Fiber Exchange (NJFX) and direct to Kristiansand in Norway. A second arm extends to Esbjerg, Denmark. The route avoids the major conventional transatlantic traffic passages and establishes EXA and Bulk as the industry leaders offering diverse and robust infrastructure.

Bulk Fiber Networks VP Sales and Business Development, Merete Caubet said: “EXA is the ideal partner for Bulk in our mission to create a more healthy carrier community in the Nordics. Today, we take the next steps to the future of transatlantic connectivity whereby EXA Infrastructure and Bulk Fiber Networks unite to forge a strategic partnership that not only connects the US to the Nordics on the Havfrue subsea cable but also to EXA’s extensive network. The cable lands in Bulk’s N01 data centre campus in Kristiansand, Norway, fuelled by 100% renewable energy and also in DK01 data centre in Esbjerg, Denmark. Together, we chart a course from New Jersey to Norway and Denmark and in doing so, we redefine industry leadership, offering a diverse and robust connectivity solution.”

The Havfrue subsea cable is the only system serving the northern corridor today and is the first transatlantic system ever to connect into Norway. The system became ready for service in 2020, spanning 7851 kilometres, with a system capacity of more than 144 Tbps and a trunk cable connecting New Jersey to Esbjerg on the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark.

According to 2022 report by Arizton Advisory and Intelligence the Nordic data centre market is set to reach $10.21 billion by 2027. The Nordic region is a growing hub to land submarine cables and for hyperscale and colocation data centre investments due to the strategic location, climate and access to sustainable energy which is accelerating this market as a hotspot.

EXA Infrastructure, VP Network Investments, Steve Roberts said: “Bulk Fiber Networks epitomises the essence of a strategic partner in our objective to connect the world as we deliver on our mission to become the undisputed pan-European and transatlantic data centre to data centre connectivity provider. Bulk’s unique route aligns seamlessly with our vision and together we start the next chapter in transatlantic connectivity, redefining the future.”

About EXA Infrastructure 

Headquartered in London, EXA Infrastructure is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital and the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America and owns 142,000 kilometres of fibre network across 34 countries. EXA’s network connects 300 cities and offers 13Tier 3-equivalent data centres, with sub-sea routes that include three transatlantic cables, one the lowest latency link between Europe and North America. For more information, see exainfra.net 

About Bulk Fiber Networks

Bulk Fiber Networks owns and operates more than 10,000 km of international, new-built, high-capacity subsea and terrestrial fiber networks connecting the Nordics.

Bulk Fiber Networks is part of Bulk Infrastructure Group, a leading provider of sustainable digital infrastructure connecting the Nordics. Bulk Infrastructure Group is an industrial investor, developer and operator of industrial real estate, data centers and dark fiber networks. For more information, see https://bulkinfrastructure.com