Cinia Ltd has set out to implement the Arctic Connect project at the initiative of the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications. The project explores the possibilities to construct a digital bridge between Europe and Asia via the Northeast Passage. Now, the Cities of Rovaniemi and Oulu, and the Kainuu region, along with local companies, are committed in the route planning of the Arctic Connect data cable. The regions are seeking new business opportunities and jobs relating to the international data connection that would pass through the area.
The Arctic Connect project is part of the efforts to improve the connectivity in Arctic areas, in line with the objectives of the Arctic Council. Previously, Cinia has already planned and completed the fast and cyber secure C-Lion1 submarine cable connection between Finland and Germany. Now, for the Arctic Connect data cable, the company is in the process of determining the current availability of and additional need for fibre-optic connectivity that are planned from Southern Finland to Kirkenes, Norway and Murmansk, Russia.
“Rovaniemi and Kajaani will become important hubs along those routes and offer more attractive sites for data centres, among other things, once the new routes are built,” says Pentti Malinen, Regional Mayor of Kainuu.
“When completed, the trans-Arctic data cable connection will make the periphery the new core. Kirkenes, Norway would become the new Marseille – a landing area for data traffic – meaning that both Lapland and Kainuu would be the closest ways to access international markets,” explains Juha Seppälä, Managing Director of Rovaniemi Development Ltd.
”The Oulu area and region are committed to the initiative and sees the the continuation of the sea cable connection from the Bothnian bay to Helsinki will bring vitality to the region. The Oulu sea cable as a part of Arctic Connect initiative would create a considerable growth potential to the strong ICT ecosystem of the Northern Ostrobothnia economic region,” states Mayor Päivi Laajala of the city of Oulu.
“Particularly in the northern parts of Finland, there will be a need for additional fibre-optic connectivity, once the Arctic Connect submarine cable system enters the production stage. The project can be expected to greatly increase the international Internet traffic passing through Finland and strengthen Finland’s position as a place for data-intensive operations. This will benefit the entire country,” points out Ari-Jussi Knaapila, CEO of Cinia Ltd.
The scale of the Arctic Connect project is extremely large. When completed, Arctic Connect would bring together three continents, which influence approximately 85% of the world’s population. In terms of technical capacity, the outset of the current plan is a total of six fibre pairs, a capacity of 60 Tbit/s and an overall length of approximately 18,000 km.
A report published by the Ministry of Transport and Communications in November 2016 indicated that Japan, China, Sweden, Finland, the EU, and Russia consider the project necessary and useful. The aim of the Arctic Connect project company is to establish the requirements for the construction of the trans-Arctic submarine cable connection, commission the required environmental studies, prepare for obtaining the necessary permits and to request contract tenders, on the basis of which the upcoming project can be budgeted and planned in more detail.
For further information, please contact:
Cinia Ltd, Senior Vice President Taneli Vuorinen, tel. +358 50 2163, email: taneli.vuorinen@cinia.fi
Rovaniemi Development Ltd., Managing Director Juha Seppälä, tel. +358 400 377 595, email: juha.seppala@businessrovaniemi.fi
Regional Council of Kainuu, Region Mayor Pentti Malinen, tel. +358 44 797 0197, email pentti.malinen@kainuu.fi
City of Oulu, BusinessOulu, Director Juha Ala-Mursula, tel. +358 40 559 7020, email juha.ala-mursula@businessoulu.com
Cinia offers intelligent network, system and software services as well as secure cloud services that eliminate geographical distances and make the world more functional. With its strong expertise in critical systems and its own fibre-optic backbone network of more than 10,000 kilometres in Northern Europe, the company offers businesses a secure IT infrastructure and a cloud-based operating environment for the future. Cinia’s C-Lion1 submarine cable strengthens the European digital single market by providing the shortest and fastest route from Central Europe to Northern Europe, where the conditions for data centres are ideal, as well as to the Asian and Eastern European markets. Cinia is headquartered in Finland and employs approximately 230 experts. For further information, please visit: www.cinia.fi