Samsung Heavy, Supermicro, and Greek Shipowner Partner to Commercialize Floating AI Data Centers

Summary

Samsung Heavy Industries, Greek shipowner Capital Clean Energy Carriers, and classification society Lloyd's Register have signed a three-way memorandum of understanding to commercialize a 50MW floating AI data center, designed to bypass lengthy grid connection queues that have stalled land-based AI infrastructure projects. The platform integrates seawater cooling with LNG-fueled solid oxide fuel cells for power generation, and can also draw external power through subsea cables when moored in ports. Supermicro is validating whether its precision AI servers can tolerate marine environmental factors including vibration, salt exposure, and humidity over a multi-year service life.

The commercialization model mirrors traditional maritime practices, where shipowners buy the platforms and lease capacity to operators under long-term contracts. The 50MW facility has already received approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register. Samsung Heavy drew on its floating LNG production expertise to integrate power, cooling, networking, and safety systems, while Lloyd's Register Advisory is conducting feasibility studies and North American market assessments. OpenAI signed a letter of intent with Samsung in October for joint development of floating data centers, though no binding customer contracts have been finalized yet.

• The business model treats floating data centers like maritime assets, with operators leasing capacity on long-term contracts
• OpenAI has expressed interest, but Samsung has not yet secured binding customer commitments for specific deployments