NORDUnet and the Nordic NRENs are looking into a number of initiatives to investigate and planning the first submarine cable system between Europe, Asia, and North America to secure a shorter route through the Arctic Ocean. An area so far without any submarine cable systems, yet offering this unique route that will dramatically increase resilience of the connectivity.

Two different specific solutions are being investigated. A direct route passing under the ice cap of the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean, just North-East of Greenland. And an alternative route through the North-West Passage between Greenland and Canada. A submarine cable system passing close to the North Pole via Exclusive Economic Zones would be shorter and thereby minimize latency, however, also more complex in terms of technology and thereby somewhat further into the future. We call this Vision 2030.

Major European involvement in these initiatives will substantially strengthen European digital autonomy. By being early partners in such initiatives, we aim to secure capacity owned and managed by the research and education communities, adding huge benefits in terms of cost, bandwidth and latency. The ultimate goal of Polar Connect is to have at least two such routes for increased resilience.

Europe should not become an island in the digital ocean. Implementing the vision of the European Data Gateways Declaration means taking control of Europe’s digital destiny. The Northern European Digital Gateway is a cornerstone in securing Europe’s digital autonomy and sovereignty, as it promotes new and redundant paths towards Asia and North America through the Arctic area.

Polar Connect will be a strategic investment into fundamental digital infrastructure that will support and advance regional development of the Nordics and Northern Europe. Additionally, it will connect all of the European R&E networks and thus support European Research, Development, Innovation and Education sectors, as well as it will contribute to European post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

The report The Economic Value of Submarine Cables in the Arctic  from Copenhagen Economics highlights the benefits of submarine cable systems through the Arctic region; Such systems will bring resilience, mitigate digital congestion, improve sustainability, and induce more than 1 billion EUR worth of economic benefits to the Nordic region.

The report looks into the societal and economic dividends from such investments which could be large. The report was commissioned by NORDUnet and the five Nordic national research and education networks (NRENs).

Close to 90 % of Europe’s Internet traffic takes place through the connections which link London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris. Alternative routes are badly needed to prevent congestion, reduce latency, and increase resilience, not least since the world’s total Internet traffic continues to double every three years. Notably, an increasing amount of the traffic is intercontinental, for instance between Europe and Asia.

Focus on Data Centres and Green Energy

Besides greatly enhanced digital resilience, a further advantage is improved sustainability. The Nordic countries hold ample renewable energy resources. Examples are hydro power (Norway, Sweden, Finland), wind power (Denmark, Sweden, Norway), geothermal power (Iceland), and tidal/wave power (Norway and others).

The demand for renewable low-carbon energy is constantly growing in Europe. It will always be cheaper and more efficient to move as much consumption as possible closer to where the energy production takes place. To host data centres in the North is efficient as it is more efficient to move bits than energy. However, this can only be done if these data centres are well-connected to both Europe and other world regions.

The Copenhagen economics report also points to  other societal benefits, leading to a significant GDP boost in the region:  “There will be new jobs associated with the location of data centres and associated support services, but more importantly, the improved connectivity associated with a strengthened network from the Nordic region will provide new local business opportunities and increased productivity and trade (…) We estimate that an Arctic cable, for example, to Japan, could boost GDP in the Nordic region by more than EUR 1 billion annually if fully utilized.”

Read the report

You can learn more about the report here, or you can download the entire report from the Copenhagen Economics website.

The Northern EU Gateways project gives a boost to the Polar Connect initiative led by NORDUnet by investigating the shorter route options for subsea cables through the Arctic Ocean. The Project will develop a vision for the year 2030 for the North Atlantic and Arctic section of the Digital Global Gateway, fostering the Arctic region as the important area of the digital shift for Europe.

Read more at the project website

The North Pole Fiber project (22-EU-DIG-NPF) is doing preparatory work for Polar Connect – a global project for establishing subsea fiber cables between Europe, Asia and North America.

Polar Connect aims to ensure digital communication between Europe and East Asia. To achieve this, a subsea cable will be established through the Arctic Ocean from Northern Europe to Japan and South Korea

North Pole Fiber is important in establishing resilient fiber routes in Northern Sweden, from Kiruna to the Norwegian border, to be extended to the Arctic Ocean coast where Polar Connect will land. Learn more about the project from the project website, such as facts about the project, news and activities.

Moreover, North Pole FIber is investigating possibilities for equipping the cable with sensors in order to make the cable an instrument for Arctic research and environmental monitoring. This could enable continuous measurement of environmental parameters in one of the least investigated areas of Earth – the deep ocean under the Arctic ice sheet.

The  Polar Connect will in a later stage connect Europe, Asia and North America, providing us state-of-the-art data connectivity along the shortest route, avoiding the challenges presented by conflicts along traditional routes, such as the Suez Canal, Red Sea and the Strait of Malacca. 

Timeline

The North Pole Fiber project runs for 36 months, from January 1st  2024 until December 31st 2026.

Project Partners

The Swedish Research Council/Sunet, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, and NORDUnet collaborate on the North Pole Fiber project, which the European Union co-finances.

Links

Official project website: https://npf.nordu.net

Learn more about the global Polar Connect project: nordu.net/polar-connect och northern-eu-gateways.nordu.net.

Disclaimer – The North Pole Fiber Project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

[Project Acronym: 22-EU-DIG-NPF]

— Charting the Arctic Path to Global Connectivity 

Polar Connect Step 1 is powered by a consortium of five key beneficiaries: NORDUnet, The Swedish Research Council, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS), DTU/DeiC and GlobalConnect. Together we will ensure the long-term success of the Polar Connect initiative by mitigating geographic, geopolitical, and environmental risks early in the planning phase.  

This Polar Connect Step 1 (PC1) action supports the implementation of the Polar Connect initiative. It will provide design and exploration studies on relevant parts of the seabed in the Arctic Ocean to determine the optimal route for Polar Connect, in preparation for the future marine survey phase. The project will also prepare the tender document for the marine survey, which is expected to begin only after 2027, following the construction of a new icebreaker. 

Building on the results of the CEF-Digital action 21-EU-DIG-Northern Gateways and the ongoing activities of the CEF-Digital action 22-EU-DIG-NPF, the planned studies aim to select the optimal route and strive to align the layout of Polar Connect with other initiatives, to support resilience between the projects. 

Project Acronym: 23-EU-DIG-PC1

Period: 2025-2027 (36 months) 

Polar Connect Step 1 Project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Beneficiaries and their roles:

Swedish Research Council (VR/Sunet) – Coordinator 

As the project coordinator, the Swedish Research Council (VR/Sunet) oversees overall project management, reporting, and coordination among partners. It leads Work Package 1 (Project Management and Coordination), ensuring that the consortium operates smoothly, timelines are met, and deliverables are submitted according to plan. VR/Sunet also contributes to outreach activities and participates in technical planning and seabed mapping, supporting both governance and implementation efforts across the project. 

NORDUnet A/S 

NORDUnet A/S contributes its experience in digital infrastructure to support both stakeholder engagement and technical planning within the PC1 project. It leads Work Package 2 (Engagement and Outreach), coordinating engagement with commercial operators, public authorities, research communities, and international stakeholders. In Work Package 4 (Technical Planning and Design), NORDUnet is responsible for tasks such as developing the cable route plan, assessing power resilience, identifying potential landing sites, and drafting security guidelines. These efforts contribute to the consortium’s shared goal of advancing resilient cross-border digital connectivity. 

Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS) 

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS) brings Arctic field expertise to the consortium and leads Work Package 3 (Mapping of the Arctic Route). SPRS is responsible for coordinating and executing a series of survey missions in the Arctic Ocean using the icebreaker Oden, with the aim of collecting critical seabed and environmental data for future route planning. SPRS also contributes to Work Package 4 by assessing environmental impacts over the cable’s potential 25-year lifecycle. These inputs are essential for determining the technical and environmental feasibility of the Polar Connect route. 

DTU/DeiC (Technical University of Denmark) 

DTU/DeiC leads Work Package 5 (Sensing Technologies), focusing on the development of a roadmap for integrating sensing technologies into the future submarine cable system. This includes evaluating options for environmental monitoring and cable integrity. DTU/DeiC also participates in stakeholder engagement and overall coordination efforts, contributing scientific and technical knowledge to the planning and outreach components of the project. 

GlobalConnect AB 

GlobalConnect AB leads Work Package 6 (Commercial Planning), which focuses on developing the business case for the future implementation of the Polar Connect system. This includes conducting market studies, assessing risks, and drafting a provisional business plan. In addition to its commercial planning role, GlobalConnect supports stakeholder engagement and contributes to the broader coordination efforts of the consortium. 

Learn more:

Polar Connect Initiative is a Northern European initiative to obtain secure and resilient connectivity between Europe and East Asia, on the shortest possible route through the Central Arctic Ocean. 

Polar Connect is a visionary global initiative to establish a high-capacity submarine cable linking Northern Europe and East Asia via the Arctic Ocean — the shortest route between the two continents. Designed to support 12 to 24 fibre pairs, the cable will offer ultra-high transmission capacity while avoiding geopolitically sensitive zones such as the Red Sea, which currently carries around 90% of Europe-Asia communications. The project contributes directly to the Vision 2030 agenda through a series of strategic sub-projects. 

Explore the broader Polar Connect Initiative and how it supports secure, scalable, and future-ready digital infrastructure across the Arctic region. 

Join the Polar Connect initiative 

We are actively seeking new collaborators as the project evolves. If you’re interested in joining or supporting this transformative initiative, contact us info@polarconnect.net

On 7 September 2023, the Polar Connection Vision 2030 webinars delved deeper into the latest insights shaping the future of one of the four sections of the European Data Gateways, namely the North Atlantic and Arctic section.

Highlights from the webinars include exploration of arguments underpinning the necessity for a resilient submarine cable system in the Arctic Ocean, and the actual feasibility of this ambitious endeavour. Distinguished speakers illustrated how the Arctic route offers the potential to improve and secure backbone connectivity for Europe and our partners in Asia and North America. To this should be added, the multiple benefits and opportunities such a route will offer to the scientific community.

The perspectives and insights shared during the webinars are invaluable contribution shaping the future of Arctic Connectivity.

To accommodate participants from various time zones, it was possible to choose between two different timeslots. This ensured that attendees could conveniently join and engage with the panellists, regardless of their geographical location.

We are immensely grateful to the participants of the Polar Connect Vision 2030 webinars for joining and look forward to further collaborative efforts in advancing the Arctic Connectivity.

Below please find links to the presentations from both timeslots

Session at 08:30 a.m. CEST (UTC+2)

• Vision 2030 of the Polar Connect – Valter Nordh, CEO of NORDUnet
• Strengthened collaboration between EU and Japan – Konstantinos Kapsouropoulos, International Relations Officer, DG CONNECT
• Japan – EU Cooperation – Yu Yokosawata, First Secretary, Mission of Japan to the European Union
• The economic value of submarine cables in the Arctic – Bruno Basalisco, Director, Copenhagen Economics
• ASN SMART solutions – Paul Gabla, Strategy and Marketing Director, Alcatel Submarine Networks
• Viability of crossing the North Pole with a submarine cable – Katarina Gårdfeldt, Director General, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat
• Research using the North Pole Fibre infrastructure – Martin Landrø, Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• New scientific possibilities – Magnus Friberg, Senior Advisor, Swedish Research Council – SUNET

Session at 4:30 p.m. CEST (UTC+2)

• Vision 2030 of the Polar Connect – Valter Nordh, CEO of NORDUnet
• Context of the EU for Arctic Connectivity – Miguel Angel Exposito Verdejo, Acting Head of Unit Science, Technology, Innovation and Digitalisation, DG-INTPA
• Japan – EU Cooperation – Yu Yokosawata, First Secretary, Mission of Japan to the European Union
• Why connectivity across the Arctic? – Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers
• ASN SMART solutions – Paul Gabla, Strategy and Marketing Director, Alcatel Submarine Networks
• Viability of crossing the North Pole with a submarine cable –   Katarina Gårdfeldt, Director General, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat
• Research using the North Pole Fibre infrastructure – Martin Landrø, Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• New scientific possibilities – Magnus Friberg, Senior Advisor, Swedish Research Council – SUNET

Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this ambitious journey together.

On May 5 2023, Sweden’s Research and Innovation Office in Brussels (SWERI) held a breakfast seminar presenting Polar Connect, a new Nordic initiative to establish a secure, resilient and shortest possible data connection between Europe and the Asian Pacific for the benefit of trade, security and science.

NPF the first step of the Polar Connect vision

The economic value of submarine cables in the Arctic

Viability of crossing the North Pole with a submarine cable –

The need for scientific observations in the Arctic –

Research using the North Pole Fibre infrastructure –

In October 2022, NORDUnet hosted a Polar Connectivity Webinar focusing on fibre connectivity between Japan and the EU. The speakers of the webinar convey their expertise and share views from European and Japan perspectives.

• Nordic NRENs Vision 2030 – Valter Nordh, NORDUnet
• The economic value of submarine cables in the Arctic  – Sigurd Næss-Schmidt, Copenhagen Economics
• A Japanese view on Japan(Asia)-EU connectivity, datacenters and regional development  – Jun Murai, WIDE project

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion where the speakers where joined by three industry experts to exchange views on the known and planned international connectivity projects from the Nordic-Arctic region and their impact. The panellists were:

• Valter Nordh, NORDUnet
• Sigurd Næss-Schmidt, Copenhagen Economics
• Jun Murai, WIDE project
• Nigel Bayliff, Aqua Comms
• Merete Caubet, Bulk Infrastructure
• Taneli Vuorinen, Cinia

Nordic NREN Vision 2030: This is the all-encompassing vision that includes the connectivity, green datacenters, support for local communities and research (Arctic, climate, marine biology etc.). These aspects are all covered in the Copenhagen Economics report.
The connectivity part of the vision currently involve the Far North Fiber and the Polar Connect fiber.

Polar Connect (previously POLAR-CONNECT): is the fiber project with a route that will be from Norway to Svalbard, north of Greenland to North America and onwards to Asia. The cable route will be inside the exclusive economic zones of “friendly” countries. The cable is intended to be a hybrid cable that will support generic telecommunications connectivity, as well as supporting research
using smart cable technologies. This does present a number of additional challenges with regards to regulatory, security and permissions. The cable is intended to be deployed 2028-2030, as it need to align with funding cycles and the above-mentioned challenges needs to be resolved. The project is currently not in a stage where further information with regards to partners, potential customers and specific landings can be shared.

Borealis: This is an old idea developed by Bjørn Rønning, taking the optimal route over the North Pole. This is currently not feasible give the current geopolitical situation as it involves a route the traverses charted territory.

Gravity North: a trend/tendency of establishing data centres in the North of Europe where there is free cooling, cheaper sustainable electricity.

North Pole Fiber: The North Pole Fiber Project (22-EU-DIG-NPF) prepares the ground for “Polar Connect” – a new and direct fiber optic connection between the European Union and Asia.

EU Projects
· CEF Digital Call 1 – Northern EU Gateways – The joint funded project with Cinia and
NORDUnet.
· CEF Digital Call 2 – North Pole Fiber – The proposed project to build a cable from Luleå to Svaldbard. Should be seen as a stepping stone towards POLAR-CONNECT