Panthalassa opens Vancouver factory to build wave-power hardware

The debate over how to power artificial intelligence infrastructure has intensified as traditional land-based data centers face scrutiny over emissions and water use. In response to this pressure, one company is moving its operations to the water.

Panthalassa, a startup based in Portland, Oregon, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, November 6, at the historic Kaiser Shipyard site in Vancouver, Washington. The facility is located along the Columbia River and serves as the company's first manufacturing plant.

The plant will produce wave-powered devices, which the company calls nodes. These units are designed to generate electricity from ocean waves. Panthalassa intends to use this energy to power floating data centers that will operate on the surface of the deep ocean.

The company raised more than $300 million in funding during 2026. The name Panthalassa references the super ocean that covered most of the Earth's surface approximately 190 million years ago. The startup plans to deploy self-driving buoys in oceans around the world to harvest energy for these mobile computation hubs.

Proponents of the design argue that offshore sites avoid specific environmental issues associated with land-based data centers. These include carbon emissions, fresh water contamination, and disruption to nearby neighborhoods. By moving the infrastructure to the open ocean, Panthalassa aims to reduce the local footprint of these energy-intensive facilities.

The Vancouver facility represents a shift in the company's production strategy. Previously, Panthalassa relied on custom manufacturing for its equipment. The new plant is configured for assembly line production. This change is intended to increase the speed and volume of node creation.

The factory also serves as a pilot for the company's global expansion plan. Panthalassa intends to build additional factories in other parts of the world to support its fleet of floating hubs. The success of the Vancouver site will determine how quickly the company can replicate this model elsewhere.

The site is located in Southwest Washington, a region that has seen growth in industrial and technology sectors. The company's presence adds a new dimension to the area's manufacturing profile, linking historical shipbuilding infrastructure to modern renewable energy technology.