Asia-Pacific and Middle East hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk has secured a A$4.25 billion (USD 2.98 billion) green loan to fund the ongoing construction of its SYD3 data centre campus in Western Sydney.
The project will expand cloud, artificial intelligence, and digital service infrastructure across Australia, supporting an estimated 10,000 jobs across construction, engineering, logistics, and safety. Main construction of the expanded SYD3 development is being led by A W Edwards, with full completion targeted by mid-2028.
The transaction brings AirTrunk’s total committed global debt financing to approximately A$ 38.4 billion, including over A$ 19.8 billion allocated to its Australian assets. AirTrunk’s broader domestic platform spans five campuses representing over 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, supported by more than A$ 12 billion invested to date and a projected A$ 75 billion investment pipeline over the next decade.
Key operational, financial, and sustainability features of the transaction include:
- Syndicate structure: Backed by 32 local and international financial institutions, led by 14 joint underwriters including Banco Santander, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB, DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank, ING Bank, Mizuho, MUFG, NAB, RBC, Société Générale, SMBC, HSBC, and UOB.
- Green financing mechanics: Incorporates margin adjustments, with savings directed to AirTrunk’s social impact programme supporting STEM education, digital equity, biodiversity, and community disaster relief.
- Supply chain infrastructure: Utilises a 25,000-square-metre staging buffer zone in Western Sydney and dedicated time-charter shipping routes into Port Botany and Port Kembla for just-in-time equipment delivery.
- Emissions targets: Supports AirTrunk’s Net Zero 2030 target for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, utilizing lower-carbon steel and concrete alongside a target to divert 90 per cent of non-hazardous construction waste from landfill.
- Legal advisory: Legal counsel for the transaction was provided by King & Wood Mallesons for the borrower and Gilbert + Tobin for the lender consortium.
Tom Mackellar, Vice President of Origination & Market Expansion at AirTrunk, stated that the green financing underscores the company’s approach to embedding sustainability and regional supply chain partnerships into large-scale digital infrastructure delivery.
