4 Japanese Companies Develop A Floating Data Center Concept For Ports Aimed At Easing Land And Power Shortages

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), NTT FACILITIES, INC., Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation, and MUFG Bank, Ltd. (collectively, the “Consortium”) have developed a new port-based offshore floating data center concept as part of their efforts to realize offshore floating data centers. The newly developed concept is expected to expand deployment options for offshore floating data centers and accelerate their practical application.

Background

The rapid growth in demand for data centers worldwide has intensified challenges such as shortages of suitable development sites and power supply, as well as extended construction lead times. Offshore floating data centers are considered a promising solution to these issues, making it important to explore multiple deployment models to improve their feasibility and support future implementation.

Among the concepts under consideration, offshore floating data centers located farther from shore are regarded as an ideal deployment model because they can more readily utilize large-scale renewable energy sources such as offshore wind power while also providing scalability and operational independence.

At the same time, several issues remain to be addressed before large-scale offshore deployment can be realized, including accessibility, high-capacity telecommunications connectivity, and power supply configurations independent of conventional transmission and distribution networks. As the Consortium continued to evaluate additional deployment models suited to different use cases and site conditions, it developed the new port-based offshore floating data center concept.

Overview of Port-Based Offshore Floating Data Center Concept

The port-based offshore floating data center concept envisions a floating data center moored alongside a quay within a port area.

Compared with offshore floating data centers designed for operation in open-sea environments, the port-based concept can be deployed across a wide range of locations, from metropolitan areas to regional communities. In addition, it can utilize existing infrastructure while taking advantage of coastal resources, including local power generation facilities.

Both the port-based and offshore deployment models share advantages unique to offshore floating data centers. By combining the benefits of marine-based infrastructure with deployment flexibility, the Consortium believes offshore floating data centers can help address growing constraints on land availability and power supply, as well as the future expansion of digital infrastructure.

Future Development of Offshore Floating Data Centers

By realizing the port-based offshore floating data center concept, the Consortium aims to accelerate the practical application of offshore floating data centers and pave the way for their future deployment farther from shore.

Press Release