Space Norway, SubCom plan world's northernmost subsea cable system

February 14, 2025 12:57 PM

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(From left) David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom, and Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, sign the contract for the Arctic Way Cable System.

Space Norway is set to launch a new high-speed connection from the Norwegian mainland to Jan Mayen and Svalbard in what would be one of the world's northernmost subsea cable systems.

Space Norway has partnered with SubCom to develop the Arctic Way Cable System, which is expected to commence service in 2028.

The subsea cable system will span 2,350km and will be located entirely within the Arctic Circle. The cable will transmit data traffic via direct shore-end landings in Bodø, Norway, Jan Mayen, and Longyearbyen in Svalbard.

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Illustration: Arctic Way Cable System: Connecting Norway's mainland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard.

Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, said the new cable system is “imperative to ensure uninterrupted connectivity for the Arctic community and to support Norway's strategic interests”.

The Norwegian firm has brought on board SubCom to support the entirety of the Arctic Way Cable System project, including survey, design, manufacturing, and installation.

“With SubCom’s proven track record in managing Arctic projects, they are the optimal partner for this significant program,” Tengs added.

David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom, said: “SubCom has maintained a successful relationship with Space Norway for decades, including our participation in the supply of the original Svalbard cable system.

“Our experience with the customer and our expertise in the region - one of the most unique marine environments on the planet - will enable SubCom to efficiently produce and deploy this critical subsea cable infrastructure on behalf of Space Norway.”

Rune Jensen, director of subsea cable systems at Space Norway, confirmed the new Arctic cable won’t mean the end of the road for its two existing cables to Svalbard, confirming they’ll server as backups for Arctic Way.

“Although these cables are approaching the end of their 25-year service lifespan, we expect them to remain operational for several years past 2028,” Jensen added.

The unveiling of the Arctic Way Cable System follows Global Connect's Polar Connect subsea cable project, designed to connect Northern Europe, East Asia and the US via the Arctic as an alternative route to the Red Sea.