IOEMA-1 Holding B.V. and APTelecom Partner to Accelerate Development of Strategic North Sea Subsea Cable System

APTelecom Press Release
May 13, 2026

13th of May 2026, Rotterdam, Netherlands – IOEMA-1 Holding B.V. today announced a strategic partnership with APTelecom Limited, a globally recognised advisory firm specialising in telecom and digital infrastructure, to advance the commercial development of the IOEMA-1 subsea cable system.

The IOEMA-1 project is a planned 24 fibre pair, ~1,600 km petabit-class subsea cable system designed to connect key digital hubs across the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom, with an expected ready-for-service (RFS) date of Q1 2029. The system will provide critical new routes for data traffic, enhancing resilience and capacity across Northern Europe.

This collaboration marks a significant step forward as the project enters an intensified commercial phase aimed at securing anchor customers and achieving contracts-in-force (CIF) status.

APTelecom will support IOEMA-1 Holding B.V. with its deep expertise in market strategy, carrier engagement, and global telecom infrastructure development, helping to position the system for successful investment and deployment.

“Partnering with APTelecom brings additional deep expertise and wide-ranging market access at an important juncture in IOEMA's development of our first cable system, IOEMA-1. Their proven reach and commitment of resources demonstrate a shared confidence in our project and its impact, increasing resilience and capacity on critical routes the EU has recognised as strategically important.”
Andrew Parsons, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer, IOEMA

“IOEMA-1 is a strategically important project that addresses the growing demand for resilient, high-capacity connectivity across Northern Europe,” said Sean Bergin, President of APTelecom. “We are excited to support the team in engaging the market and driving the project toward successful delivery.”

“As Europe’s demand for secure, high-performance digital infrastructure continues to grow, IOEMA-1 is positioned to play a vital role in strengthening regional connectivity and resilience,” said Eckhard Bruckschen, CEO of IOEMA-1 Holding B.V. “Together with partners like APTelecom, we are advancing IOEMA’s vision to develop a new generation of subsea infrastructure that supports the next wave of data-driven innovation across Northern Europe.”

Recognised as a project of European interest under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), IOEMA-1 is expected to play a key role in:

• Strengthening regional and international connectivity
• Supporting data sovereignty and network resilience
• Enabling growing cloud, AI, and data centre demand
• Diversifying critical subsea infrastructure routes in the North Sea region

By combining IOEMA-1 Holding B.V.’s technical and engineering capabilities with APTelecom’s global commercial reach, the project is well-positioned to attract strategic partners and long-term investment.

Further updates on commercial milestones and project development will be announced in due course.

* IOEMA and IOEMA-1 are trading names of IOEMA-1 Holding B.V., incorporated in Terbregse Rechter Rottekade 129, 3055XC Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

About IOEMA-1 Holding B.V.

IOEMA-1 Holding B.V. is the developer of the IOEMA-1 subsea cable system, a next-generation, petabit-class digital infrastructure project designed to enhance connectivity across Northern Europe. The company focuses on delivering scalable, resilient, and high-capacity network solutions to meet the region’s rapidly growing data demands. More here: www.ioemafibre.eu

About APTelecom

APTelecom is a global telecommunications advisory and investment firm specializing in subsea cable systems, digital infrastructure, and strategic market development. The company provides end-to-end support across project development, commercial strategy, and stakeholder engagement. More here: www.aptelecom.com

Media Contacts

IOEMA-1 Holding B.V.
Eckhard Bruckschen
[email protected]

APTelecom Limited
John Maguire
[email protected]