Project Acronym:
Period:
Polar Connect Step 2 (PC2)
PC2 is the next step in the global Polar Connect project to establish a resilient submarine cable system between Europe, North America, and East Asia across the Arctic, thereby reinforcing Europe’s digital sovereignty and striving towards resilient communication between continents.
The project will create an entity that will manage the future Polar Connect submarine cable and prepare its business model. Building on the Polar Connect Step 1, PC2 studies will design the submarine cable system and its cable repair capabilities in severe ice conditions, continue to survey the seabed of the Arctic with the Oden icebreaker, and complete the Cable Route Study to determine the optimal submarine cable route for manufacturing and laying the cable. These studies are crucial milestones leading up to the Marine Survey for Polar Connect, necessary for the manufacturing and deployment of the Polar Connect cable and to ensure the long-term viability of the of pan-Arctic connectivity.
Polar Connect Step 2 Project is co-funded by the European Union through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Digital) 2 programme. Within this programme, the European Commission supports initiatives that strengthen the European Union’s digital autonomy, including the development of fibre-optic connections between the EU and third countries in ways that ensure European stakeholders maintain control over the infrastructure. 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 Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS)
SPRS leads Work Package 6 (Vessel Operations and Surveying), contributing its Arctic field expertise to the consortium. SPRS is responsible for planning and executing vessel-based survey operations in the Arctic Ocean, collecting critical seabed data needed for the final Polar Connect route planning. SPRS also contributes to project management and financing work packages, and coordinates the logistical and environmental groundwork required for the physical deployment of the cable.
NORDUnet A/S
NORDUnet leads three work packages central to the project: WP3 (Financing and Funding Models), WP4 (System Architecture), and WP5 (Cable Route Study). NORDUnet is responsible for developing strategies to secure financing for the Polar Connect cable, designing the pan-Arctic network architecture, coordinating with landing parties and backhaul partners, and leading the regulatory and permitting work across the cable route countries.
GlobalConnect AB
GlobalConnect AB lGlobalConnect contributes to Work Package 4 (System Architecture), focusing on landing station planning and backhaul infrastructure for the Polar Connect cable. GlobalConnect is part of the multiparty support consortium alongside NORDUnet, Tusass, Cinia, DSCC, and Tampnet, and is responsible for delivering the report on landing parties and backhaul connectivity.
CSC CSC — IT Center for Science (Finland)
CSC contributes to Work Package 3 (Financing and Funding Models) and Work Package 4 (System Architecture), with a particular focus on strategies for deploying scientific sensing capabilities along the Polar Connect cable and integrating the infrastructure for research and education use. CSC brings expertise in high-performance computing and research network connectivity to the consortium.
Swedish Research Council (VR/Sunet) – Coordinator
VR/Sunet serves as the coordinator of the PC2 project and leads Work Package 1 (Project Management and Communication), Work Package 2 (Creating the Ownership Entity), and Work Package 7 (Study on Operations and Maintenance). VR/Sunet is responsible for overall project coordination, establishing the legal ownership entity for Polar Connect, and developing the long-term operational and maintenance framework for the cable infrastructure.
GÉANT Association – Associated partner (not beneficiary)
*GÉANT Association is an associated partner and does not receive funding under this agreement
GÉANT supports Work Package 3 by engaging with key stakeholders in the research and education community to identify connectivity needs and funding opportunities for securing a dedicated fiber pair on Polar Connect for research and education purposes.
Learn more:
Polar Connect is a first-of-its-kind initiative to establish a secure, resilient, and high-capacity digital corridor between Europe, North America, and East Asia across the Arctic Ocean.
Today’s global connectivity relies heavily on a limited number of routes exposed to congestion and disruption, increasing the need for new resilient pathways. By creating the shortest route between Europe and East Asia and strengthening the wider connectivity system between Europe, North America, and East Asia, Polar Connect adds redundancy to existing data routes and reduces dependence on today’s congested and vulnerable chokepoints. The initiative is being developed to provide trusted, high-capacity connectivity between like-minded partners while advancing a new long-term Arctic infrastructure capability.
info@polarconnect.net
