- Cinia, Arteria and Far North Digital are planning a $1.2 billion, 16,880 kilometer submarine fiber-optic cable through the Arctic from Europe to Japan, estimated to be operational in 2026.
- The cable would offer the shortest connection between London and Tokyo, carrying implications for industries like financial trading.
- Cinia's earlier project with MegaFon to route east from Europe over the Russian Arctic to Asia fell apart in 2021 due to geopolitical risks.
- The cable could bring much-needed connectivity to rural northern towns like Utqiagvik, formerly Barrow, and offer geopolitical advantages to whoever controls the flow of information.
- Cinia and its partners are self-funding the project with revenue from other areas of their business, while they search for funding from outside investors and future customers.
What Will It Take to Connect the Arctic? $1.2 Billion, 10,000 Miles of Fiber-Optic Cable and Patience
For years, Arctic cable routes have been planned, scrapped and delayed. A trio of companies, including Finland’s Cinia, remains determined to try.
Isabelle Bousquette
