Samsung Heavy Industries and Supermicro to Build 50 MW Floating AI Data Centers

Samsung Heavy Industries has announced a partnership with Greek shipowner Capital Clean Energy Carriers and classification society Lloyd’s Register to bring 50 MW floating data centers to market. The project aims to address power shortages and prolonged grid connection delays faced by traditional data centers in the U.S. and Europe.

Under the agreement, Samsung Heavy is responsible for the technological development and platform construction, Capital Clean Energy Carriers for securing investments and project opportunities, and Lloyd’s Register for certification and regulatory compliance. The data centers will operate either via external power through underwater cables or autonomously using solid oxide fuel cells powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Supermicro serves as the key hardware partner, with its AI-optimized servers undergoing testing for resistance to vibration, tilt, salinity, and humidity. Samsung Heavy leverages its expertise in building floating LNG production plants to integrate power, cooling, and safety systems into a single hull. The project received preliminary approval from the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register in April of this year.

Competitors are already advancing similar initiatives: Japan’s MOL plans to launch a 73 MW floating data center by 2027, while China operates a 24 MW underwater data center off the coast of Shanghai. Samsung Heavy is also in talks with OpenAI regarding joint development of floating platforms, though no supply contracts have been finalized yet.