Digital Realty Marseille MRS6 Data Center: 50MW Sovereign Cloud & AI Hub
Status: Under Development / Planned Greenfield Conversion | Location: Avenue Ferdinand de Lesseps, 13320 Bouc-Bel-Air (Marseille Metro Area), France
Project Overview
Digital Realty Marseille MRS6 is a major hyperscale and AI-focused data center expansion project designed to deliver approximately 50 MW of critical IT capacity along Avenue Ferdinand de Lesseps in Bouc-Bel-Air, within the rapidly growing Marseille metropolitan digital corridor in southern France. Developed as part of Digital Realty’s continued investment in one of Europe’s most strategically important connectivity hubs, the project involves the transformation of a 26,000-square-meter former logistics warehouse into a state-of-the-art carrier-neutral facility comprising seven purpose-built data halls. MRS6 is engineered to meet the increasing demand for sovereign cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), enterprise colocation, and hyperscale cloud deployments while benefiting from close proximity to Marseille’s globally significant subsea cable landing ecosystem, which connects Europe with Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. As an integral part of Digital Realty’s PlatformDIGITAL® ecosystem, the facility will enable seamless interconnection with Digital Realty’s worldwide portfolio of data centers, supporting hybrid IT architectures, multi-cloud strategies, and low-latency digital services. The campus is designed with high-voltage utility power infrastructure capable of supporting high-density GPU clusters and next-generation AI workloads, alongside liquid cooling readiness to efficiently manage the thermal requirements of advanced computing environments. Sustainability is embedded throughout the project through the adoption of low-carbon construction techniques, energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, and waste heat recovery technologies intended to improve overall environmental performance and reduce operational carbon emissions. The facility will also incorporate redundant power distribution, resilient cooling infrastructure, advanced fire detection and suppression systems, comprehensive physical security, and carrier-neutral fiber connectivity to ensure maximum reliability and operational resilience. Upon completion, Digital Realty Marseille MRS6 will strengthen Marseille’s position as one of Europe’s premier hyperscale and international interconnection hubs, providing secure, scalable, and future-ready digital infrastructure for cloud providers, AI innovators, telecommunications operators, and multinational enterprises.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Digital Realty Marseille MRS6 Data Center: 50MW Sovereign Cloud & AI Hub |
| Location | Avenue Ferdinand de Lesseps, 13320 Bouc-Bel-Air (Marseille Metro Area), France |
| Status | Under Development / Planned Greenfield Conversion |
| Commissioning | Target Delivery 2028 (Construction Commencement 2026) |
| Total IT Load | 50.0 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation |
| Total Capacity | ~26,000 m² (~279,860 sq ft) converted warehouse footprint featuring ~20,000 m² (~215,278 sq ft) of net IT space across 7 data halls |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent Fault-Tolerant Architecture / ISO & LEED Certification Targets |
| Project Type | Converted Industrial Logistics Site to Purpose-Built Hyperscale, High-Density AI & Sovereign Cloud Campus |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Bouc-Bel-Air |
| Population | 15,381 (2023) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Part of the Aix–Marseille–Provence Metropolitan Area (~1.9 million population) |
| City GDP | Part of the Aix–Marseille metropolitan economy (estimated USD 110+ billion) |
| Per Capita Income | Median disposable income: €34,480 (2023) |
| City Tier | Tier 2 – Technology, Business Park & Emerging Digital Infrastructure Hub |
| Key Strengths | Strategic location between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille; excellent motorway connectivity (A51, A7, A8); proximity to Marseille Provence Airport and Port of Marseille-Fos; strong fiber-optic infrastructure; access to France's second-largest metropolitan economy; attractive location for enterprise technology, cloud services, and regional data center developments. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Digital Realty |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Enedis / RTE Utility Grid Network & Municipality of Bouc-Bel-Air |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized European Mission-Critical EPC & General Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Digital Realty Technical Infrastructure Teams & European Mission-Critical Engineering Consultants |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral architecture, dual path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, dedicated Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), and direct dark fiber backhaul connections linking Bouc-Bel-Air directly to Digital Realty's MRS1–MRS5 coastal port facilities, local IX exchanges (France-IX), and 18+ subsea cable systems. |
| Power Infrastructure | High-voltage utility grid connections from regional substation infrastructure, static 2N / N+1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated switchgear, and multi-megawatt standby emergency diesel generator arrays with on-site fuel reserve autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | ~60.0+ MVA Total Utility Grid Connection Allocation |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | High-efficiency eco-designed cooling infrastructure, cold aisle containment, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness for high-density AI clusters, integrated waste heat recovery system for surrounding industrial/residential heat networks, and automated BMS controls. |
| Connectivity | Low-latency fiber backbones linking Bouc-Bel-Air directly to central Marseille carrier hotels and core European cloud availability zones. |
| PUE Target | < 1.25 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% Certified Green Renewable Power strategy aligned with Digital Realty's global carbon-neutral commitments. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | 2024–2025 |
| Construction Start | 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Target 2028 |
| Full Buildout | Active Multi-Hall Warehouse Conversion & Campus Development |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | Estimated €250,000,000 EUR to €400,000,000 EUR Total Capital Investment |
| Funding | Corporate Capital Expenditure / Infrastructure Investment (Digital Realty) |