Stepping onto IB Oden in the high Arctic is unlike stepping onto any other vessel. The air is sharper, the horizon wider, and the sense of purpose unmistakable. As Executive Team Lead for Polar Connect, I have the privilege of welcoming an extraordinary group of experts to an expedition that will help shape one of Europe’s most ambitious digital infrastructure initiatives: a trans-Arctic digital underwater cable linking Europe, Japan, and North America.

This year, we are holding nine workshops during the expedition, each designed to deepen our shared understanding of the Arctic environment and the realities of building a resilient, sovereign, future-proof cable system across one of the least explored regions on Earth – the Central Arctic Ocean.

And I must admit, I am genuinely excited for what lies ahead.

Why We Are Here: The Purpose of the Expedition

Polar Connect’s Arctic expeditions are not symbolic. They are essential. Our work onboard Oden focuses on four core questions that will determine the future of the Arctic cable route:

• Mapping and seabed studies along the expected corridor
• Technical and operational credibility: proving that the route is feasible
• Timeline assurance: aligning field progress with long-term planning
• Feasibility in ice-covered waters: understanding what it truly takes to install a submarine cable in the Arctic

These are not abstract research topics. They are the foundations of the Polar Connect initiative, which aims to strengthen European digital sovereignty, improve global scientific collaboration, and open a new chapter in Arctic connectivity.

What We Aim to Learn

Every hour onboard Oden provides data that cannot be replicated in a meeting room or laboratory. Our fieldwork supports:

• Technical feasibility: understanding seabed conditions, ice dynamics, and operational constraints
• Environmental responsibility: ensuring the route respects fragile Arctic ecosystems
• Optimal route selection: identifying the safest, most stable corridor
• Long-term maintenance planning: preparing for future repair and intervention needs

This expedition, running from 24 July to 10 August, is designed to give us the flexibility to adapt to weather, ice conditions, and operational opportunities. Workshops take place between 25 July and 9 August, interwoven with field observations and operational work.

Life Onboard Oden

Working on IB Oden is a unique blend of scientific focus and Arctic reality. The vessel is purpose-built for this environment: capable of breaking heavy ice, supporting complex research operations, and providing safe passage through waters few ships ever enter.

Onboard, you will find:

• Dedicated spaces for workshops and breakout sessions
• Active scientific laboratories
• Observation areas for monitoring ice, weather, and operations
• A collegial environment where engineers, scientists, mariners, and strategists work side by side

Schedules shift with the ice. Discussions continue in corridors, mess rooms, and observation decks. Between workshops, participants review findings, observe operations, and exchange insights that often become the seeds of new ideas.

This is the rhythm of Oden: flexible, focused, and deeply collaborative. The scenery is mesmerising, with ice-covered landscapes, ice breaking beneath the vessel, and polar bears and whales in close proximity. Everyone working together in harmony.

Our Team Onboard

We are fortunate to have an exceptional group of participants representing submarine cable engineering, polar research, vessel operations, academia, digital infrastructure strategy, and several specialised Arctic and maritime disciplines. The breadth of expertise onboard is remarkable.

Looking Ahead

As we begin this expedition, I feel both proud and energised. Polar Connect is more than a cable project. It is a strategic investment in Europe’s future, a scientific endeavour, and a demonstration of what international collaboration can achieve when guided by a shared purpose.

The Arctic will challenge us. It always does. But it will also teach us, and every insight we gain onboard Oden brings us one step closer to a cable route that is credible, responsible, and resilient.

If you are following our work from home and believe that your knowledge or organisation could contribute to the Polar Connect initiative, please contact us. We would be delighted to explore opportunities for future collaboration.

To everyone joining us through our blog or social media: welcome onboard Oden. I look forward to the discussions, the questions, the collaborations, and the discoveries. Together, our collective expertise will help shape the next chapter of Polar Connect.

Join us. We welcome you to follow our journey.

Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield
Executive Team Lead, Polar Connect