MDM Announces Narwhal 1 and 2 Transatlantic Cables

MDM, LinkedIn
August 6, 2026

MDM has announced plans for two new transatlantic subsea cable systems connecting Ireland and the United States. Narwhal 1 is planned between MDM's existing cable landing station in Galway and Long Island, while Narwhal 2 is planned between a new landing station in southern Ireland and New Jersey.

The company has set a provisional Ready for Service date of the third quarter of 2029 for Narwhal 1. Narwhal 2 is expected to follow in 2030. MDM said it is working on permit applications for both systems and that procurement for the marine surveys is underway.

The two cables are expected to interconnect with systems under development in Ireland. Those include the Pisces system from Galway to Spain, France and Portugal, a planned Galway-to-Norway system involving MDM and industry partners, and several Ireland-to-UK systems. The network plan is intended to provide onward connectivity from Ireland to continental Europe and the United Kingdom.

MDM values the combined Narwhal 1 and Narwhal 2 investment at $500M. According to the announcement, funding will come through private equity and participation from industry partners.

Director and co-founder Jim McMahon expects transatlantic connectivity demand to rise substantially during the next five years. MDM, which was established in 1990, said its development capabilities and existing landing-station infrastructure place it in a position to advance the two projects on an accelerated schedule.

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