Following last year’s announcement, the Aqaba Digital Hub (ADH) Group, through its telecom arm, NaiTel, has announced the completion of the Coral Bridge submarine communications cable landing in Aqaba, following its initial landing in Egypt’s Taba in partnership with Telecom Egypt.
The project marks Jordan’s first privately owned submarine communications cable and the first direct connection between Jordan and Egypt in over 25 years. Stretching 15 kilometers across the Gulf of Aqaba, the cable features a high number of high-capacity fiber pairs, positioning it as one of the fastest and most efficient digital routes in the region.
The Coral Bridge system enables the transfer of international data traffic at high speed and capacity, supporting growing demand from artificial intelligence (AI) applications, data centers, and cloud services. It also reduces latency, lowers transmission costs, and provides alternative routes to ensure service continuity for major corporations and content providers.
Source: Aqaba Digital Hub
The launch ceremony featured virtual participation from Jordan’s Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Sami Smeirat; Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat; and Telecom Egypt CEO, Mohamed Nasr. In Aqaba, the landing was overseen by Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Chief Commissioner, Shadi Ramzi Al-Majali; Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) CEO, Hussein Al-Safadi; Commander of the Royal Navy and Royal Boats, Command Col. Hesham Al-Jarrah; and representatives from the maritime and telecom sectors.
Source: Aqaba Digital Hub
Minister Smeirat said the Coral Bridge cable is a strategic milestone and a product of close Jordanian-Egyptian cooperation, reinforced during last month’s 33rd session of the Joint Higher Committee in Amman.
Additionally, Minister Talaat highlighted his ministry’s commitment to strengthening international digital infrastructure through subsea cables, terrestrial routes, and landing stations. He described Coral Bridge as a new bridge of cooperation—the first and fastest outcome of discussions held during the recent Amman meetings—and expressed hope for further joint ICT projects benefiting both nations.
Al-Majali stressed the cable’s importance for Aqaba as a strategic digital hub linking Asia and Africa, while Al-Safadi called it a transformative step that enhances Jordan’s digital sector and Aqaba’s position as a smart city capable of attracting high-tech investment. He also commended ADH CEO, Eyad Abu Khorma, for turning ambitious ideas into tangible achievements.
Telecom Egypt CEO, Nasr, noted that the proximity of Taba and Aqaba offered a strategic opportunity to establish a vital route for data flows across the Middle East and into Europe. He added that Coral Bridge, operating through NaiTel’s neutral ecosystem at Aqaba Digital City, will handle vast regional traffic and channel it through Egypt’s terrestrial network to the Mediterranean.
The Coral Bridge cable lands at Aqaba Digital Hub’s open-access station inside one of the largest neutral data centers in the region, becoming an integrated part of Jordan’s growing digital ecosystem. The project highlights Jordan’s emerging role as a strategic hub for regional and international connectivity, complementing Egypt’s status as a global data crossroads.
Together, the two nations aim to shape the future of digital infrastructure in the Middle East, providing faster, safer, and more cost-effective routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
