The Australian Government awarded contracts to Hawaiki Nui Submarine Cable, which is a division of BW Digital, to enhance international connectivity throughout the Pacific region via additional branches.
Hawaiki Nui is a new Spatial Division Multiplexing (SDM) fibre optic cable linking South-East Asia, Australasia and North America. Construction of the system is due to start in 2024, with an expected cable ready for service (RFS) date in 2026.
The contracts, comprising agreements to supply and install branching units and an indefeasible right of use for capacity on the Hawaiki Nui submarine cable, will be funded by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).
“The contracts between the Australian Government and BW Digital demonstrate our joint commitment to bridge the digital divide and provide secure, high-speed connectivity to Pacific island countries,” said Ludovic Hutier, chief executive officer of BW Digital.
“This agreement also reflects BW Digital’s strategy to build a trusted ecosystem of digital infrastructure servicing the needs of governments, businesses and communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region” he added.
Hawaiki plans transpacific SDM cable with 240 Gbps design capacity
Hawaiki Submarine Cable Limited Partnership (Hawaiki) announced plans for a new spatial division multiplexing (SDM) cable linking South-East Asia, Australasia and North America.
The Hawaiki Nui system, which will span an estimated 22,000 km, will have a design capacity of 240Tbps and provide end-to-end connectivity between the three main hubs of the Pacific region: Singapore, Sydney and Los Angeles. The company plans to begin construction next year, with an expected cable ready for service (RFS) date in 2025.
Hawaiki has selected PT Mora Telematika Indonesia (Moratelindo) as its strategic partner for Indonesia, where it will have landings in Jakarta and Batam.
In Australia, Hawaiki Nui will serve both international and domestic capacity requirements, linking Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin, while providing them with direct access to Singapore and Los Angeles.
Hawaiki Nui will also be the first international cable to land in the South Island of New Zealand, linking Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill directly to Australia via a new and fully diverse subsea route. In addition, two branches will be built to connect Oahu and Big Island in Hawaii.
- In 2021, Hawaiki announced the sale of 100 per cent of the shares of the company to BW Digital, an affiliate of Singapore-based global maritime conglomerate BW Group.
