Sparkle signed an agreement with Alcatel Submarine Networks and Elettra Tlc to build GreenMed, a new subsea cable system spanning the Central–Eastern Mediterranean. The project establishes a fresh corridor across the Adriatic Sea, linking Italy to the Balkans, Crete, Sicily and onward to the Levant and Middle East. The contract was executed during Capacity Middle East 2026 in Dubai, with initial segments targeted to enter service in late 2028.
GreenMed East will cross the Adriatic for the first time in a Sparkle system, creating an alternative route between the Milan digital hub and key Mediterranean gateways. The design targets route diversity, resilience and low-latency connectivity for carriers, hyperscalers, content providers and multinational enterprises. ASN will handle system design and manufacturing of the wet plant and associated subsea infrastructure, while Elettra will conduct the marine survey and cable installation.
The project extends Sparkle’s Mediterranean strategy following BlueMed in the Tyrrhenian Sea. GreenMed adopts an “open cable” model that allows each fiber-pair tenant to select its own optical transmission equipment and illumination architecture, aligned with system design constraints. Sparkle plans to integrate the new system into its broader backbone and landing hub footprint to reinforce Italy’s role as a regional interconnection gateway.
• New Adriatic Sea subsea route connecting Italy, Balkans, Crete, Sicily and the Levant
• Designed and manufactured by ASN; marine survey and installation by Elettra
• Open cable architecture with flexible optical illumination per fiber pair
• Initial segments expected in service by late 2028
• Integrated into Sparkle’s broader Mediterranean backbone strategy
“GreenMed represents another concrete step in Sparkle’s strategy to strengthen the Mediterranean Basin as a key digital gateway and to reinforce Italy’s role as a primary connectivity hub for international connectivity,” said Enrico Maria Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle.
🌐 Analysis: GreenMed enters a Mediterranean market that has seen a wave of new builds and expansions aimed at bypassing congested or geopolitically sensitive corridors. Projects such as BlueMed in the Tyrrhenian, the India–Middle East–Europe corridor initiatives, and multiple Egypt-bypass routes reflect operator demand for diversified paths between Europe and Asia. By leveraging the Adriatic Sea, Sparkle positions Italy as a dual-coast gateway and aligns with broader regional efforts to increase redundancy, reduce latency, and support AI-driven traffic growth across Southern Europe and the Middle East.
