Digital Realty’s new data center, HER1, the first carrier neutral facility on Crete, uniquely positions the company as the only global data center provider on the island, strategically linking Europe with Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa via a dense network of highly connected subsea cables.
"With HER1, we reaffirm our commitment to establishing the Mediterranean as a premier digital hub," said Fabrice Coquio, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Digital Realty in France. "By delivering enhanced connectivity and robust infrastructure, we are meeting the growing needs of businesses and digital providers in this rapidly evolving region."
With an average annual growth of more than 30% since 2016, international bandwidth in southern Europe has seen a six-fold increase in capacity, transforming the Mediterranean into a global hub for traffic exchange. Digital Realty’s new HER1 data center complements its existing highly connected infrastructure in Marseille, as well as data centers currently under development in Barcelona and Rome, further reinforcing the region’s position as a strategic interconnection point.
With the opening of HER1, the company is further extending PlatformDIGITAL®, its global data center footprint. This expansion is expected to enable multinational and local businesses to rapidly scale their digital transformations by deploying critical infrastructure with a leading global data center provider at the heart of a growing connected data community in the region.
The opening of HER1 strengthens Digital Realty’s existing portfolio in Greece, complementing its Athens campus, which now houses three data centers, with a fourth set to open in 2025 and a fifth in development. Hosting more than 30 connectivity providers, this infrastructure addresses the increasing demand for computing power and interconnection from both hyperscalers and enterprises.
This investment underscores Digital Realty's leadership in global connectivity infrastructure, supporting the digital transformation of businesses and communities across the Mediterranean. HER1 is set to become a pivotal hub for the digital economy of the future.
