EU Backs Arctic Undersea Cable to Bypass Red Sea Disruptions

The EU has allocated €9 million to develop Polar Connect, a €2 billion submarine cable linking Europe and Asia across the Arctic. The project, backed by Nordic operators and GlobalConnect Carrier, would route traffic through Canada's Northwest Passage or over the North Pole—sidestepping the Red Sea chokepoint exposed by February 2024 cable cuts. Route surveys begin summer 2026.