Humboldt Cable issues request for proposals

• First subsea cable connecting Latin America with APAC and Oceania
• Will support Chile becoming a digital hub in South America
• RFP aimed at selecting strategic partner for turnkey supply and installation of Humboldt Cable

SANTIAGO, Chile, August 1st 2022 – Desarrollo País and H2 Cable announced today they have issued a request for proposals to begin construction of the estimated 15,000 km Humboldt Cable, the first to connect Latin America, the Asia Pacific and Oceania.

Initially flagged in late 2021, Humboldt will provide end-to-end connectivity between Valparaiso, Chile and Sydney, Australia, where it will also interconnect with cable systems across Asia. Additional branching stubs will allow for connection to other countries and territories, including Juan Fernandez and Easter Island, as well as New Zealand.

Desarrollo Pais is a state-run infrastructure fund majority owned by the Chilean Government (Fondo de Infraestructura), while H2 Cable is a subsidiary of Singapore-based BW Digital.

The Humboldt Cable will be the most significant piece of subsea infrastructure connecting South America, paving the way for deployment of essential datacenters, AI and other datadriven technologies to help to put Chile on the digital map.

“We have set an ambitious goal to transform Chile into a digital hub for Latin America,” said Patricio Rey Sommer, CEO of Desarrollo País.

Accordingly, Desarrollo País and H2 Cable are looking to partner with the world’s best suppliers for turnkey implementation of transoceanic submarine cable systems.

Sommer added: “The project is entering its most challenging stage with the technical definition of the route and schedules for execution now being set, and we have asked that suppliers’ proposals be based on an ‘Open Cable System’ model”.

International Connectivity Services Ltd, the service company of the Hawaiki Group (now wholly-owned by BW Digital), has been engaged to finalize the system design of Humboldt Cable, launch the procurement process and engage with prospective anchor customers.

Depending on responses from the market, Desarrollo País and H2 Cable will make the necessary investments to build and operate the system.

“We look forward to working with Desarrollo Pais to realize what will become an absolutely critical piece of digital infrastructure for South America, providing unprecedented scale and quality of connectivity with the Asia Pacific and Oceania,” said Remi Galasso, CEO of BW Digital.

He added that Humboldt Cable would join a number of large-scale subsea cables promising to reshape the digital landscape throughout the Pacific, including the Hawaiki Transpacific Cable, in service since 2018, and the Hawaiki Nui Cable currently in development.

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About Fondo de Infraestructura S.A.

Fondo de Infraestructura S.A. (Desarrollo País) is a State-owned entity incorporated in 2018. Its shareholders are the State of Chile (Fisco – 99.964%) and the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO – 0.036%). Desarrollo País is governed by Law 21082 and is subject to the rules of state-owned corporations. Its mandate is to develop financing and investing activities related to infrastructure projects. The company formally began operations on 4 January 2019. For more information, visit www.desarrollopais.cl

About H2 Cable LP

H2 Cable LP, headquartered in Singapore, is a subsidiary of BW Digital, an affiliate of global maritime conglomerate BW Group. In May 2022, BW Digital completed the acquisition of 100 per cent of the shares of submarine cable company Hawaiki.

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