Meta: Waterworth project will enable greater economic cooperation between 5 continents

The social media company Meta announced that it will build the world’s longest submarine cable, through the Waterworth project, to connect the United States, India, Brazil and South Africa, with a length of 50,000 kilometers, connecting five continents, from its laying point at a depth of 7,000 meters under the ocean.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, more than 99 percent of international data exchanges are transmitted via underwater cables.

Meta said that the cable will use a 24-fiber pair system, which will give the communications it provides to the United States, India, Brazil and South Africa “higher capacity, as it will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open up opportunities for technological development in these regions.”

It is also expected that it will support the company’s projects in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

“Project Waterworth will be a multi-year, multi-billion dollar investment to enhance the reach and reliability of the world’s digital highways by opening three new ocean lanes with abundant, high-speed connectivity to drive AI innovation around the world,” Meta wrote in a blog post.

The company did not provide a timeline for the project or a budget for its implementation.

The undersea cables have been in focus in recent months due to their vulnerability, with a series of investigations by Baltic states into alleged “sabotage” attempts.

NATO said it was stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea as a result, and plans to deploy an AI tool to help spot ships behaving suspiciously.