---
title: South Atlantic Submarine Cable Infrastructure
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/link/brazil__south-atlantic-submarine-cable-infrastructure"
hub: link
summary: EllaLink provides the first direct fiber-optic link between Brazil and Europe (Fortaleza to Sines), bypassing US routing — 100 Tbps capacity with sub-60ms latency across the Atlantic
---

# South Atlantic Submarine Cable Infrastructure

EllaLink provides the first direct fiber-optic link between Brazil and Europe (Fortaleza to Sines), bypassing US routing — 100 Tbps capacity with sub-60ms latency across the Atlantic
- Technology Readiness Level: 9/9
- Impact: 3/5
- Investment: 3/5
EllaLink is a 6,600 km submarine fiber-optic cable connecting Fortaleza (Brazil) to Sines (Portugal), operational since 2021. It provides the first direct data route between South America and Europe that does not transit through the United States, with capacity of 100 Tbps and round-trip latency under 60 milliseconds.

The strategic significance extends beyond bandwidth. Before EllaLink, virtually all Brazil-Europe internet traffic was routed through Miami or New York, adding latency and creating a single point of surveillance/disruption. Direct routing matters for data sovereignty, financial trading (where milliseconds matter), and independence from US infrastructure.

Additional cables are planned or under construction: the SABR cable (South Atlantic-Brazil) and BRICS cable initiatives aim to connect Brazil directly to Africa and Asia. Combined with Brazil's hosting of internet exchange points (IX.br operates 36 IXPs, including one of the world's largest by traffic volume in São Paulo), this positions the country as a connectivity hub for the Global South.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/link/brazil__south-atlantic-submarine-cable-infrastructure)