Norwegian undersea cable builder pitches 2,800-mile transatlantic data link between Canada and Europe to bypass the US
Norway's Bulk Infrastructure Group AS is looking for a partner to build transatlantic undersea cabling to connect Canada with Europe to bypass the United States.
Norwegian fiber network and data center company Bulk is seeking a majority partner to fund and build a transatlantic undersea cable linking Canada directly to Europe, cutting out the United States. The project, named Project Leif Erikson, would stretch over 2,800 miles from southern Norway to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador province, then continue underground through Quebec and Montreal.
Peder Nærbø, Bulk's co-founder, envisions this link as part of a sovereign cable system for Canada, providing secure, high-capacity data transmission for AI, telecom, and hyperscale markets. Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joy has expressed security and resilience as key priorities for Canada's infrastructure, emphasizing the need for alternatives to US reliance.
Bulk has laid more than 6,200 miles of cabling globally, with its primary objective being to unlock the Nordic potential for renewable energy in digital infrastructure. The project's backers remain to be confirmed, as the EU and Canada must still plan and sign off on its route. Finishing the project is estimated to cost over $620 million, but Canadian investment is significant, with 65% of Bulk owned by a real estate subsidiary of Canada's Sun Life Financial Inc., alongside several Canadian pension funds.
Nærbø has been pursuing this project for five years, and recent geopolitical pressures and shifting alliances have provided new opportunities for its development.
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