Described by the judges as “truly a significant innovation which will benefit the industry”, the new platform expands connectivity diversity within the Mediterranean area, taking pressure off the hub of Marseille. Since its GCAs win, two of the platform’s eight slots have recently entered service with the BlueRaman/BlueMed cable, marking the official start of operations on the platform.
The system begins with a multi-duct infrastructure a kilometre out to sea, known as the Bore Pipe, and then runs through an undersea trench and a secure tunnel network for further six kilometres. The infrastructure terminates at the Genoa Lagaccio Open Landing Station, which provides open interconnection capabilities and gives cable projects access to the numerous backhaul options from Genoa into northern Italy and beyond.
The Global Carrier Awards judges were also impressed by the sustainability credentials of the project. By providing ready-made infrastructure and slots for future cable landings into Genoa, the platform reduces the need for further excavation on land or disruption to the marine environment.
Since the GLP picked up its award in London last year, the project has moved into the implementation stage. Following its launch in February 2023, the GLP has been selected as the landing infrastructure for the BlueRaman/BlueMed cable, which began construction last month to offer four-pair, 25Tbps per pair connectivity that links Italy to France, Greece and Israel, via Sparkle’s Sicily Hub in Palermo. The Genoa-Golfo Aranci-Pomezia-Palermo leg of the cable will be operational from May 2023, and an extension to Corsica is scheduled for completion the following month.
At the opening of the platform, Sparkle’s CEO Enrico Bagnasco said: "We are proud to have realised with BlueMed and the Genoa Landing Platform a state-of-the-art infrastructure that reinforces the role of Italy, and Genoa in particular, in the global internet by creating a new digital corridor between Europe and the African and Asian continents."
To nominate your company or project for a Global Carrier Award in 2023, click here.
