Nordic fiber firm GlobalConnect is to deploy a new subsea cable in the Baltic Sea.

The company this week said it has started the process of implementing a new subsea cable between Sweden and Finland, via Åland.

GlobalConnect has already started marine surveys for the €14 million ($16.4m) project. The 150km cable, set to land in Turku and Stockholm, is due for completion by the end of 2026. Two new ILA (Inline Amplifier) stations will be built to amplify and route the signal coming in from the cable.

GlobalConnect noted the “current geopolitical climate in the Baltic Sea” has repeatedly amplified the need for resilient and redundant digital infrastructure, pointing to the recent spate of cable cuts in the region.

“Adding new 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,” said 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.”

As well as the subsea cable, GlobalConnect will upgrade its existing terrestrial infrastructure, including 365km of fiber between Helsinki and the Åland area of Turku, and from Stockholm to Gävle. That project should be completed by the end of the year.

“These projects will also bring lasting value to local regions and municipalities,” added 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.”

GlobalConnect operates a 244,000-kilometer fiber network across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Finland. It also offers 35,000 sqm of data center space across 17 facilities in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Germany.

The company last week said that it plans to expand its data center in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“We are in the initial planning phases of expanding our data center in Taastrup, Denmark further, and have just had a very constructive and forward-looking meeting with the Mayor and the municipal executive officer,” the company said on LinkedIn. Further details of the expansion weren’t shared.

Founded in 1998, EQT Infrastructure has been GlobalConnect’s majority shareholder since 2016, with Mubadala joining as a minority investor in 2022.