New GlobalConnect subsea cable to link Sweden and Finland — securing Baltic connectivity

GlobalConnect, the leading Digital Infrastructure provider in the Nordics, has started the process of implementing a new subsea cable between Sweden and Finland, via Åland. The project, an investment of ~ 14 million euros, is set for completion by the end of 2026. Once operational, it will boost redundancy in the region and add significant capacity to transport more data.

The demand for secure, high-capacity fiber infrastructure is increasing rapidly, partly due to surging expansions of major data centers and AI hotspots in the Nordics. At the same time, the current geopolitical climate in the Baltic Sea has repeatedly amplified the need for resilient and redundant digital infrastructure — a need underscored by recent incidents involving damage to subsea cables, highlighting the vulnerability of critical communications routes.

“Adding new and routes in and out of the Nordics is not only about handling more data – it also provides vital redundancy – mitigating downtime and potential sabotage, ensuring that if one route goes down, others keep data flowing,” says Pär Jansson, SVP at GlobalConnect Carrier. “This expansion also allows the Nordics to meet the surging infrastructure demand and solidifies the Nordics’ position as a new global hotspot for data centers.”

In addition to the 150km new sea cable, GlobalConnect will upgrade its existing infrastructure on land. This part of the project will include ~365 km of fiber between Helsinki to Turku, Åland and Stockholm to Gävle, adding more capacity to transport larger quantities of data traffic.

“These projects will also bring lasting value to local regions and municipalities,” says Pär Jansson. “Along the cable routes, we aim to connect as much as possible — including households, hospitals, and businesses — enabling access to faster digital services, supporting local development, and creating better conditions for new business establishments.”

Building Infrastructure at Sea – Step by Step

• Seabed Surveys
  In H1 2025, GlobalConnect has been conducting several marine seabed surveysin the Baltic Sea to:
  1. Identify the optimal cable route
  2. Avoid disturbing the seabed
  3. Detect physical obstacles like rocks, underwater currents, or archaeological findings
• Permit Process (Ongoing)
  Working with local authorities to secure environmental and construction permits.
• Land-Based Upgrades
  On land, the existing terrestrial infrastructure will be upgraded, installing new high-capacity fiber cables in existing ducts with higher capacity. (H2 2025)
• Beach Drilling
  Drill landing points on beaches in Sweden, Åland, and Turku to allow the sea cable to connect with land-based infrastructure. (2026)
• Cable Laying
  A cable laying ship is deployed, placing about 500 meters of cable per hour along the prepared route on the sea floor. (2026)
• Repeater Site Construction
  Two new ILA (Inline Amplifier) stations will be built to amplify and route the signal coming in from the sea cable. (2026)
• Go-Live
  The new subsea cable is scheduled to go live by the end of 2026, offering additional redundancy, and faster, more reliable data traffic across the region.
  

Project by the numbers
The project is part of an overall long-term ambition for GlobalConnect to expand and futureproof the Nordic fiber network with more than 3000 km of new fiber in the coming years.

• Total numbers: ~500 km
• New subsea cables: ~150 km
• Upgraded terrestrial routes: ~365 km
• Fiber upgrade: the new sea cable will support all Nordic data needs - a capacity increase of 400% compared to existing GlobalConnect cable between Sweden and Finland.
• Network routes:
• Helsinki > Turku
• Turku > Stockholm (sea cable)
• Stockholm > Gävle