For Immediate Release
| Title: | EllaLink and SPLANG begin the lay of the French Guiana branch |
With loading complete at Calais factory, the CS Île d’Yeu has set sail for French Guiana to begin the cable lay, with marine installation to be completed over the summer
Lum@link submarine cable loading in Calais
EllaLink and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) hosted a delegation from SPLANG, the Government of Maranhão (Brazil) and the international financial institutions of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) across two of ASN’s facilities.
The SPLANG, AFD, IDB, Government of Maranhão delegations with EllaLink during the visit to ASN facilities in Les Ulis
The SPLANG, AFD, IDB, Government of Maranhão delegations with EllaLink during the visit to ASN facilities in Les Ulis
Co-funded by the European Union
Co-funded by the European Union
Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, next to a repeater that will be part of the Lum@link system and ready to ship to Cayenne, French Guiana.
Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, next to a repeater that will be part of the Lum@link system and ready to ship to Cayenne, French Guiana.
CARIBPR WIRE, DUBLIN, July 15, 2026: EllaLink and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) hosted a delegation from SPLANG, the Government of Maranhão (Brazil) and the international financial institutions of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) across two of ASN’s facilities: the Les Ulis headquarters, for technology demonstrations; and the Calais factory, to witness the loading of the Lum@link cable onto the cable ship. The CS Île d’Yeu has now set sail for Cayenne to begin the installation campaign that will be completed over the summer, with the Lum@link system on track to be ready for service by the end of 2026.
This marks a critical milestone in the creation of the first direct submarine connection between French Guiana and continental Europe. The 2,100 km extension will connect the new cable landing station of Cayenne to the existing EllaLink trunk system off the coast of Fortaleza, establishing direct optical connections from Cayenne to Sines (Portugal) and Fortaleza (Brazil).
The delegation was joined by Leandro da Silva Costa, President of the State Information Technology Agency, and Anderson da Silva Serra, Director of Technological Infrastructure and Connectivity from ATI/MA, representing the Government of the State of Maranhão, Brazil. They witnessed the loading of the two branching units that will enable future connectivity to the north of Brazil, one serving São Luís (Maranhão) and one serving Salinópolis (Pará).
Lum@link is designed to open the way for direct links between Cayenne, Fortaleza and the northern Brazilian states, including Maranhão (São Luís) and Pará (Salinópolis), reinforcing French Guiana’s role as a crossroads between the Caribbean, Brazil and Europe. For both SPLANG and the State of Maranhão, the visit confirmed that EllaLink will equip the region with critical infrastructure that is essential to its economy.
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| The SPLANG, AFD, IDB, Government of Maranhão delegations with EllaLink during the visit to ASN facilities in Les Ulis |
The European Commission supports the project with a €29.9 million grant from the CEF Digital programme, managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). The Lum@link system is also backed by an investment from the Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane (CTG) and financial support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
For the future Brazilian branches, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and AFD are providing financing to the states of Pará and Maranhão.
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Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, next to a repeater that will be part of the Lum@link system and ready to ship to Cayenne, French Guiana. |
Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, said: “To see the Lum@link cable loaded and on its way to Cayenne is a deeply significant moment for French Guiana. With the lay now under way and the system on track to enter service by the end of 2026, we are securing our international connectivity for the long term, ensuring our digital sovereignty and catalysing the economic and social development of our territory.”
Philippe Dumont, CEO at EllaLink, added: “Watching the Lum@link cable being loaded in Calais and the Île d’Yeu setting sail for Cayenne to begin the lay is a proud moment for the entire EllaLink team. After years of planning, engineering and construction, marine installation is now under way. We expect to complete the lay over the summer, and the system is on track to be ready for service by the end of 2026, delivering a direct, sovereign route between French Guiana, Brazil and continental Europe. We are honoured to share this milestone with SPLANG, the Government of Maranhão and the partners who have made it possible.”
About SPLANG
The Société Publique Locale pour l’Aménagement Numérique de la Guyane (SPLANG) (local public company for the digital development of French Guiana) is owned by the CTG (Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane) and other local authorities and municipalities of French Guiana. It is the local authorities’ operational arm for the digital development of French Guiana. Created in 2014, SPLANG promotes the deployment of infrastructure operated by its shareholders (such as the fibre network and the satellite network in French Guiana). SPLANG is involved in financing its own infrastructure such as satellite relays, FTTO networks or international connectivity, supports and coordinates the development of digital uses, and acts as a public service operator in situations where private initiative is lacking.
For more information, visit: https://www.splang.fr/
About EllaLink
EllaLink is an optic fibre submarine cable system offering secure high-capacity connectivity on a unique low-latency transatlantic route serving the growing needs of the Latin American and European markets. The EllaLink network directly connects Brazil and Europe, linking the major hubs of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza with Lisbon, Madrid and Marseille. The EllaLink System has been built with state-of-the-art coherent technology, initially offering 100Tbps of transatlantic capacity over four direct fibre pairs between Europe and Brazil. EllaLink is a privately funded and independent company committed to providing products and services on a Carrier-Neutral and Open-Access basis. Marguerite, a pan-European infrastructure investor active in the renewables, energy, transport and digital transformation sectors, is the main shareholder of EllaLink.
For more information, visit: https://ella.link
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/969f899b-330b-4a16-9424-e3cf3f1aa0e2
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8c80851-4c5f-4fb4-940b-d7ff657eb580
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/697e1a61-9c10-439b-aa47-0d78d11c857a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ec2c2d2-249f-4f32-98dc-96778cf71d4a
