Project Overview
Ocean City Cable Landing Station Information
This website provides clear, straightforward information about the proposed Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Ocean City. We understand that new infrastructure brings questions, and our goal is to explain how this project has been carefully designed to be safe, quiet, and respectful of the surrounding community.
Key Highlights:
- Not a Data Center – No large-scale computing or server operations
- Mostly Underground – Cables installed below ground using low-impact methods
- Minimal Noise & Lighting – Designed to operate quietly and unobtrusively
- Low Water Usage – Comparable to a small commercial building
Overall, this facility is intended to be a low-profile, long-term piece of infrastructure that supports global connectivity while remaining a quiet, responsible neighbor in the community.
Learn More About the
Cable Landing Station
The project is a Cable Landing Station (CLS) — a facility where a subsea fiber optic cable connects to the land-based telecommunications network. In simple terms, this is where the cable comes ashore and connects into the wider internet infrastructure.
What It Does:
- Receives data from the subsea cable
- Transfers data into land-based fiber networks
- Supports reliable global communications
What It Does NOT Do:
- Does not process or store data
- Is not a data center
- Is not a power transmission facility
Project Scope
Included:
- CLS building
- Underground conduits
- Utility connections
Not Included:
- Offshore construction
- Dredging
- Long-distance inland fiber routing
Understanding the Infrastructure
What Is a Cable Landing Station?
Simple Explanation: A Cable Landing Station (CLS) is a key part of the global internet system. Fiber optic cables run along the ocean floor, carrying data between countries, and the CLS is where those cables connect to land and link into the broader network.
Easy to Understand:Â
- Cables are about the size of a garden hose
- Data travels as light signals, not electricity
- The facility acts as a relay point, not a processing center
History & Context
Cable landing stations have been used for decades along the U.S. East Coast and around the world.
They are typically:
- Cables are about the size of a garden hose
- Data travels as light signals, not electricity
- The facility acts as a relay point, not a processing center
- Most people live near one without even realizing it.
Most people live near one without even realizing it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions & Answers
CLEARING THE CONFUSION
Myth vs Fact
We address common questions and misconceptions about the project with clear, accurate, and straightforward information.
Myth
“This is a large data center with significant computing and server capacity.”
FACT
This is a Cable Landing Station (CLS) — a telecommunications transmission facility.
While the building contains technical equipment, it does not function as a data center:
- There are no large-scale server operations
- No cloud computing or data storage
- No high-density processing systems
The facility’s role is to receive data from a subsea cable and transfer it into the land-based network.
👉 In simple terms:
Data passes through the building — it is not processed there.
The size of the building is driven by:
- Reliability and redundancy systems
- Power infrastructure
- Safe equipment spacing and access
- Long-term design (30–40 years)
—not by computing capacity.
Myth
“This project is similar to offshore wind or power transmission cables.”
FACT
Subsea telecommunications cables are fundamentally different from power cables.
- They carry data as pulses of light through fiber optics
- They DO NOT transmit bulk electrical power
- The only electrical component is a low-current DC supply used to power repeaters along the route
While the voltage may be high, the current is extremely low, which means:
- No significant power transfer
- No meaningful heat generation
- No comparison to offshore wind export cables
Myth
“The cables will create harmful electromagnetic fields (EMF).”
FACT
EMF levels from telecommunications cables are extremely low.
Using conservative estimates:
- Magnetic field at ground level: ~0.5–0.8 microtesla
- This is approximately 1–3% of Earth’s natural magnetic field
Key points:
- The field is static (not alternating like power cables)
- It is highly localized
- It drops off rapidly with distance
- The cable is buried (~1.2m below ground), further reducing exposure
👉 EMF levels are considered negligible and not harmful.
Myth
“The beach and shoreline will be dug up during installation.”
FACT
The project uses Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD).
This method allows installation entirely underground, meaning:
- No trenching across the beach
- No disturbance to the shoreline surface
- No visible infrastructure once complete
👉 The beach remains intact during and after installation
Myth
“This project involves dredging or major offshore construction.”
FACT
There is no dredging as part of this project scope.
Offshore activities are handled separately by the cable owner
Reviewed by agencies such as:
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Maryland Department of the Environment
This project is limited to:
- The CLS building
- Underground conduits to the site
Myth
“This facility will be noisy and disruptive.”
FACT
The facility is designed to operate quietly and unobtrusively.
Generators:
- Operate approximately 5 minutes per week
- About 4.5 hours per year per unit
- Installed with sound-attenuated enclosures
Cooling Systems:
- Standard air-cooled systems (like commercial AC units)
- No large industrial cooling towers
Noise levels:
- Comparable to typical commercial equipment
- Reduce significantly with distance
- Designed to meet County requirements
👉 Overall, noise impact is low and intermittent
Myth
“This will be brightly lit and impact nearby homes or wildlife.”
FACT
Lighting will be minimal and functional only.
- No decorative lighting
- Downward-facing, fully shielded fixtures
- Designed to prevent light spill
👉 The goal is to avoid drawing attention to the site, not highlight it
Myth
“This facility will use large amounts of water like a data center.”
FACT
Water use is very low.
- No water-based cooling systems
- No cooling towers
- No industrial water demand
Water is used only for:
- Restrooms
- Small break room facilities
👉 Supported by a 2-inch water connection, similar to a small commercial building
Myth
“This project will strain local utilities.”
FACT
The project has been designed and coordinated to avoid burdening local infrastructure.
Power:
- Initial demand: ~400 kW
- Gradual increase to ~1.5 MW
- Long-term capacity (5 MW) is for future-proofing
Coordination:
- Working with Choptank Electric Cooperative
- Financial contribution toward planned upgrades
👉 Infrastructure improvements were already planned and are being supported
Myth
“This building could be placed anywhere else.”
FACT
A Cable Landing Station must be located near the cable landing point.
Why:
- The cable physically comes ashore at a specific location
- The CLS must connect directly to that point
Moving inland would:
- Require more infrastructure
- Increase disruption
- Add complexity and risk
👉 This is standard practice worldwide for subsea cable systems
Myth
“This project will have long-term environmental impacts.”
FACT
The project is designed to be low-impact and largely invisible after construction.
- Infrastructure installed underground
- No ongoing disturbance
- No dredging in this scope
- Minimal emissions and noise
Reviewed by:
- USACE
- MDE
- National Park Service
👉 Designed for long-term coexistence with the environment
Myth
“This is the start of a larger data center development.”
FACT
This is a single-purpose telecommunications facility.
- No large-scale compute expansion planned
- Designed to accommodate long-term needs within the existing footprint
- Avoids future construction or expansion
👉 Built once, not expanded repeatedly
Our Commitment
Built to Serve the Community, Designed to Stay Low-Impact
We understand that projects like this can raise questions. Our commitment is to provide clear, accurate information while ensuring the facility operates as a quiet, low-impact part of the community.
COMPANY OVERVIEW
About Globalinx
Globalinx designs and operates carrier-neutral cable landing stations — infrastructure that connects subsea cables to land-based networks.
You may notice the name “Globalinx Data Centers.”
That reflects how the company was originally founded.
As technology evolved, the focus shifted toward cable landing stations rather than traditional data centers — but the name stuck.
👉 So while the name includes “data centers,” the work today is focused on telecommunications infrastructure like this CLS.
What We Do:
- Build and operate cable landing stations
- Provide infrastructure for global connectivity
- Support long-term, reliable network operations
Our Approach
We focus on:
- Low-impact design
- Long-term reliability
- Being responsible neighbors in the communities we work in
GET IN TOUCH
Contact Us
Have questions or need more information? Our team is here to help and ready to provide clear answers about the project.