New Zealand-based submarine cable developer Hawaiki Cable Limited has announced that it is planning to build a $A380 million submarine cable system to carry vast quantities of electronic data between Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and the west coast of the United States.

The cable could be operating within as little as two years and will be the second fibre optic cable network linking New Zealand with the rest of the world.

Currently, Hawaiki has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with regional economic development agency Northland Inc to land the new cable in the Whangarei area of the North Island. Under the agreement, Hawaiki commits to bring its cable ashore in the Whangarei area and build associated land-based infrastructure (including its cable landing station) in Northland.

Hawaiki chief executive Rémi Galasso says the system, which has a design life of 25 years, will be based on 100Gbps wavelength technology and deliver more than 20Tbps of design capacity.

Further, Rémi says the way the system has been designed means it will also have the option to connect to the main trunk a number of Pacific Islands located next to the cable route, including Norfolk, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis, Samoa and American Samoa.

Northland Inc chairman Colin Mitten says the MoU has been under discussion for almost six months and while its finer points are still to be negotiated, construction of the Hawaiki submarine cable would mark a critical milestone for both Northland and New Zealand’s economy.

“This MoU has the potential to bring direct and indirect benefits worth millions to Northland’s local economy alone,” Colin says.

“With the Hawaiki cable landing in Whangarei, we will be able to propose very competitive solutions for local and foreign investors, willing to benefit from our green power, ICT infrastructure, stable economy, climate and world class environment.”

The MoU signatories expect to finalise definitive agreements within the next few months and see the cable operational by autumn 2015.