OCEAN CITY, MD - The Town of Ocean City is currently in talks with tech giant Amazon to bring a fiber optic cable ashore all the way across the Atlantic from County Cork, Ireland.
In June of 2024, Amazon filed an application with Ireland to begin surveys and site investigations for a proposed subsea cable from Castlefreke, County Cork with a route across the Atlantic to landfall on the East Coast of the United States, according to online records. That feasibility study was approved in April of this year.
Amazon’s application lists the cable’s intended purpose as telecommunications connectivity and keeping Europe globally competitive.
“Europe’s digital leadership and global competitiveness is dependent on strong internal and external connectivity,” the application reads. “In that regard, the Commission highlights the importance of improving connectivity with external partners including via subsea cables.”
With the project now underway, the question of where exactly on the East Coast the cable will land has yet to be determined. Ocean City officials have confirmed that the resort town is in the running.
Ocean City’s City Manager Terry McGean said Ocean City is currently in talks with Amazon to have the cable land at the Ocean City Airport. The landing, according to McGean, would appear as little more than a manhole placement at the airport.
McGean also confirmed that Ocean City’s interest in having the cable land locally was a guarantee from Amazon that the proposed project would not interfere with the White Marlin Open or other watermen activities.
According to U.S. Coast Guard online alerts, a survey ship is slated to conduct subsea mapping for the potential project about 9 to 10 miles off Delmarva’s coast for a period in July.
McGean says there is currently no timeline as to when a landing location will be chosen for the cable or when work would begin if Ocean City is selected.