EMC West-2

Overview

EMC West-2 is a submarine cable system spanning approximately 3,978 kilometers, designed to connect four countries: France, Greece, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. This cable traverses the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea, forming a critical telecommunications corridor that links Western Europe with the Middle East. Scheduled to be ready for service in 2027, EMC West-2 is entirely owned by EMC Subsea Cable Company Limited, which oversees its development and future operations. The cable is expected to play a significant role in enhancing regional connectivity and reducing latency between these geographically diverse landing points.

Route and Landings

The EMC West-2 cable system features landing points in four strategic locations. In France, the cable lands at Marseille, a major hub for submarine cables in the Mediterranean, known for its extensive interconnection capabilities. In Greece, the cable reaches Tympaki on the southern coast of Crete, an island that serves as a critical node for Mediterranean connectivity. In Israel, the landing point is Ashkelon, situated on the Mediterranean coastline and serving as an important gateway for international data traffic in the region. Finally, in Saudi Arabia, the cable terminates at Haql, located on the Gulf of Aqaba. This landing point provides access to the Red Sea and marks a unique geographical approach compared to other systems that typically land further south along the Saudi coastline. Together, these landing points create a direct and efficient link between Europe and the Middle East.

Ownership and History

EMC West-2 is wholly owned by EMC Subsea Cable Company Limited, which holds full responsibility for the cable’s operation and maintenance. The company’s exclusive ownership ensures streamlined decision-making and operational control over the system. While EMC West-2 is set to become operational in 2027, it is currently in its pre-service phase, undergoing planning and development to meet its targeted Ready for Service (RFS) date. The cable represents a focused regional initiative, contrasting with longer intercontinental systems that dominate portions of the same corridor. By concentrating on the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea region, EMC West-2 aims to provide specialized connectivity tailored to the needs of the countries it serves.

What Our Measurements Show

Our monitoring of EMC West-2 has revealed promising performance metrics across its 83 measured corridors. The best recorded round-trip time (RTT) is 47 milliseconds, while the average RTT stands at 110 milliseconds. These latency figures highlight the cable’s efficiency in facilitating data transmission between its landing points. The relatively compact length of 3,978 kilometers contributes to its low latency compared to longer systems serving the same general region. The cable’s route through the Mediterranean and Red Sea provides direct connectivity, bypassing some of the more circuitous paths taken by other systems. This design is expected to benefit both commercial and residential users by improving speed and reliability for data-intensive applications.