Behind every model, platform and application is physical infrastructure. Servers need power. Equipment needs cooling. And all of it needs somewhere to operate.

That is one reason data centres are being built at such pace.

Almost 100 GW of new data centre capacity is expected to be added globally between 2026 and 2030, effectively doubling current capacity, with AI and cloud demand expected to be major drivers of that growth. [1]

The scale is significant. But the speed creates another question.

Can the physical supply chain keep up?

A data centre may house advanced technology, but getting it operational still depends on equipment being manufactured, moved across borders, cleared through customs and delivered safely to site.

And some of that equipment cannot simply be replaced at short notice.

Transformers, generators, cooling systems, electrical equipment and other critical components can have significant lead times. In 2025, 57% of data centre projects experienced a construction delay of three months or more, while average equipment lead times remained significantly higher than they were before 2020. [2]

That matters because one late delivery rarely affects just one shipment.

A manufacturing delay, customs issue, missed connection or change to a site schedule can affect installation dates, contractors and the wider project programme.

As AI increases demand for new capacity, the way these projects are planned becomes increasingly important.

At Blaiklock, we believe complex project logistics works best when transport planning forms part of the project from the outset, not when equipment is already sitting on a factory floor waiting to move.

Where is the equipment being manufactured? How will it reach site? Does it need to cross borders? What could delay it?

And, crucially, what is Plan B if something changes?

For us, the role of logistics is not simply getting something from A to B. It is understanding the wider project, planning ahead and giving customers options when circumstances change.

When timelines are tight and equipment is moving across borders, that visibility becomes increasingly important.

Knowing where critical equipment is, understanding the risks around it and having options available when something changes gives project teams greater control over what happens next.

And as the pace of data centre development continues to increase, that control may become just as important as speed itself.
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Sources

[1] JLL — 2026 Global Data Center Outlook
Used for: Forecast of almost 100 GW of additional global data centre capacity between 2026 and 2030 and the role of AI and cloud demand in driving growth.

[2] JLL — 2026 Global Data Center Outlook
Used for: 57% of data centre projects experiencing construction delays of three months or more in 2025 and equipment lead times remaining above pre-2020 levels.

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