Investor Updates
Trident Cable to boost telecommunications between WA, South-East Asia
19 August 2013
In response to increased demand for high-quality communications services from multinational companies operating in Western Australia (WA), Trident Subsea Cable has announced plans to build a US$400 million fibre-optic telecommunications cable.
The project responds to rising demand for bandwidth and global connectivity as a result of increased numbers of multinationals operating out of North-West WA’s Pilbara region, the epicentre of the state’s resources activity.
The cable will provide an underwater link to Perth via Onslow, as well as to Jakarta, Indonesia and Singapore. The project, slated for completion in about two years, includes onshore cable and terrestrial landing stations.
Plans have been a long time in the making. However, privately run Trident has recently sealed construction and financing agreements totalling US$320 million with the Beijing Construction Engineering Group, which will be supported by the China Development Bank. Trident has debt financing in place for the remainder and has invited private investors to participate.
“The business case for a design that combines the telecommunications requirements out of the north-west of WA with rapidly growing international capacity demand nationwide is very robust,” Trident Chief Executive Mark de Kock said.
“We are continuing our work with the energy and resource industries to extend and configure the network to meet their specific requirements,” he said.
Yang Qing, Vice President of the Beijing Construction Engineering Group, said he was pleased to build on his company’s relationship with Australia by partnering with Trident on a long-term infrastructure project of deep importance to both countries.
Competitors are also planning cable networks. However, Trident signalled an early-mover advantage, saying in a presentation its plans are 12 months or more ahead of those of its rivals.
The enhanced telecommunications network will further open WA’s oil and gas and mining industry to South-East Asia and drive even stronger economic growth.
Trident Subsea Cable Pty Ltd was set up to design, build and operate a telecommunications link that meets the demand for cost-effective, high volume data transmission to and from North-West Western Australia, home of some of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas and iron-ore projects.
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