The land based oceanic industry will positively start by the end of next year. A site of 120 hectares belonging to the Médine Sugar Estate has been identified for the implementation of the project.

 The first phase consists of 10 hectares to exploit the coldness of the sea water at a depth of 1000 metres for air conditioning of a data center of 10,000 square metres out of which a demand for 6,000 square metres has already been identified by the Board of Investment.

A feasibility study was carried out by the Makai Ocean Engineering based in Hawaii and proposed 12 potential sites and after detailed technical and financial analysis, three sites were retained, namely Flic en Flac, Les Salines and Belle Mare.

After a financial study and bathymetry tests, Flic en Flac was recommended as the best site. One of the determining criteria was the shortest distance from the coast to reach water at 1000 metre depth and the lowest seawater capital development costs.

A company under the name of Mauritius Land Based Oceanic Park Limited was set up in October 2006 with the State Investment Corporation as the main shareholder with exclusive concessionary rights to pump water and distribute same to downstream operators.

It is estimated that the Phase One of the project comprising pumping of water onto land for cooling 10,000 square metres of data center will require an investment of around 60 million USD.