Samsung Heavy Industries plans to build a 50-megawatt floating data center for artificial intelligence by 2028. The project will include a special barge equipped with a server room, its own power generation system and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanks.
In the first phase, the floating data center will be located near the coast rather than in the open ocean and will be partially connected to the onshore power grid.
Samsung believes that placing data centers on water can help solve problems such as land, energy and cooling water shortages that arise during construction on land. In recent years, the construction of data centers with large computing power for artificial intelligence has faced both resource constraints and opposition from local residents.
The company plans to build an entirely new platform as part of the project, rather than rebuilding an existing ship. However, the economic viability of the project has not yet been proven, as the marine environment poses technical challenges such as corrosion, storms and the laying of communication and power lines.
With this initiative, Samsung aims to focus its shipbuilding expertise on the development of AI infrastructure. The company is also collaborating with Supermicro, Capital Clean Energy Carriers, and Lloyd's Register on the operation of AI servers in offshore environments.
