Italian cable company Sparkle is set to extend its GreenMed cable into the Middle East.

The company this month announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NaiTel, the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital Hub, and iLevant Ltd, to extend the GreenMed submarine cable system through the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Jordan, through Aqaba Digital Hub, already serves as a landing point for the BlueMed/Blue & Raman submarine cable systems – though the latter is being delayed.

Under the agreement, the parties will work to integrate the GreenMed subsea with terrestrial fiber networks and regional interconnection platforms in Jordan.

Eyad Abu Khorma, founder and CEO of Aqaba Digital Hub, said: “Jordan is uniquely positioned at the intersection of major global connectivity routes linking Europe and Asia. The extension of GreenMed toward Jordan represents a natural next step in strengthening diversified and resilient digital infrastructure across the region. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Sparkle, a leading global operator, on advancing a new digital corridor that integrates subsea and terrestrial networks, further reinforcing Jordan’s role as a strategic gateway connecting Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.”

Sparkle announced plans for GreenMed – a new submarine cable system connecting Italy to Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece (including Crete), and Türkiye – in January 2024.

Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle, commented: “This agreement marks a further milestone in the development of GreenMed and confirms the strength of our long-standing collaboration with NaiTel and iLevant. Expanding the system across Jordan enables the connection of strategic digital ecosystems and fosters new development opportunities across the Mediterranean region and beyond.”

Sparkle operates more than 600,000km (372,822 miles) of cables that connect countries across Europe and the Americas. It operates data centers in Greece, Sicily, and Turkey, and is part of the BlueRamen cable consortium, with the Mediterranean section known as BlueMed.

Spun out from Telecom Italia last year and is being acquired by Retelit and the MEF, Sparkle is also an investor in the Italy-Monaco, Italy-Albania, Italy-Croatia, Italy-Malta, Trapani-Kelibia, MedNautilus, IMEWE, SeaMeWe-3, and SeaMeWe-5 cables.

NaiTel is the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital Hub. Founded in 2017, ADH operates a carrier-neutral, Uptime Tier III-certified 6MW data center and cable landing station (CLS) in Aqaba.

iLevant is a consultancy and advisory firm focused on digital infrastructure and connectivity.

More than a dozen cables pass through the Red Sea, with the route a key connectivity artery between Asia and Europe. In recent years, companies have looked for potential alternatives that bypass the area – including overland via Israel.