Portugal looks to rule the waves again (thanks to undersea data)

EU-Brazil cable connection crucial to Europe’s plans to gain control over global internet traffic.

Portugal wants to be a maritime power once again — but this time its focus lies under the sea.

Officials on Tuesday launched EllaLink, a 6,000-kilometer submarine internet cable that connects Portugal’s Sines with Fortaleza in northeastern Brazil.

“The seas of Portugal linked Europe to the rest of the world at one time in history. Now, in a more digital paradigm, we still see how important our position remains,” Portugal’s Minister of Economy and Digital Transition Pedro Siza Vieira said at the launch event.

The cable project is a key part of Europe’s plan to gain more control over global internet traffic. It comes amid tensions over who controls the globe’s submarine data cables — the same week European newspapers reported that U.S. intelligence services got Denmark’s support to snoop on the data that passes through such cables, including top European politicians’ communications.