Samsung announced a 2028 target launch for seaborne data centers, positioning ocean-cooled server clusters as next-generation infrastructure.

Samsung has set a target of the second quarter of 2028 to deploy its first floating datacenter (FDC), according to reporting from the Seoul Economic Daily. The Korean conglomerate is evaluating multiple candidate projects for the commercialization effort.

Samsung Heavy Industries, the group's shipbuilding and offshore engineering division, announced its project partnerships at the Posidonia 2026 maritime exhibition last month. The partners include Greece-based Capital Clean Energy Carriers and Lloyd's Register, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding. Under the agreement, Samsung Heavy Industries will handle technology development and construction, Capital Clean Energy Carriers will manage project sourcing and investment, and Lloyd's Register will oversee regulatory and certification work.

Samsung's approach differs from that of a competing Japanese partnership between Mitsui OSK Lines and Hitachi, which is retrofitting datacenter infrastructure onto existing ships with a target launch in 2027. Samsung is instead building purpose-built vessels from scratch using conventional shipbuilding processes.

The first floating facility is designed to operate on onboard power generation or shore-based power, using seawater for cooling to support approximately 50 MW of compute capacity. The design has already received approval in principle from both the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register. As floating AI datacenters remain unproven technology, the initial unit will effectively serve as a proof of concept.

Samsung acknowledges the operational challenges posed by offshore environments—including server vibration, vessel inclination, high-salinity air exposure, and rapid humidity fluctuations—all of which may significantly impact server stability and lifespan. To address these concerns, Samsung Heavy Industries has signed a joint development project agreement with server specialist Supermicro to conduct operational verification of AI server systems in river and offshore environments.

Samsung Heavy Industries cites growing global demand for datacenter infrastructure, particularly for AI platforms. According to credit rating agency Moody's, the market for high-performance infrastructure could reach $3 trillion by 2030. Floating datacenters are being positioned as a solution to key industry constraints: power availability, heat dissipation, and land scarcity.

"Floating datacenters represent a major new opportunity for the shipbuilding and offshore industries," said Samsung Heavy Industries CEO Sung-an Choi. "Through global partnerships, we aim to establish a leading position in the FDC market by moving proactively and building a differentiated market position."