Danica North: A Short Submarine Cable Linking Sweden and Denmark
Danica North is a submarine telecommunications cable connecting
Barsebäck in Sweden to
Tuborg in Denmark, spanning a modest distance of 25 kilometers across the Øresund Strait. Owned by Colt, it has been listed as in service since its recorded ready-for-service (RFS) year of 1998. While its short length makes it geographically straightforward, publicly available information about its technical specifications, such as design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier, remains sparse. This lack of transparency is notable, especially given the cable's role in linking two Nordic countries with significant demand for cross-border connectivity.
What stands out about Danica North is its simplicity and the absence of detailed public documentation. Its short distance suggests it was likely built for low-latency and high-reliability communication between Sweden and Denmark, yet its exact technological capabilities are not disclosed. This leaves room for speculation about its capacity and how it fits into the broader regional network infrastructure.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Danica North |
| Length | 25 km |
| Ready-for-service year | 1998 (GeoCables database) |
| Owner | Colt |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Barsebäck (Sweden), Tuborg (Denmark) |
🗺 Show Danica North on the interactive cable map
Route
Danica North spans the Øresund Strait, a narrow body of water separating southern Sweden from eastern Denmark. Its landing points are Barsebäck, a coastal area in Sweden, and Tuborg, located in the greater Copenhagen area of Denmark. The Øresund Strait is a well-trafficked corridor for both maritime and telecommunications infrastructure, and Danica North is part of a broader network of cables that support connectivity between the Nordic countries and mainland Europe.
Why it was built and what it carries
Danica North was likely constructed to provide a direct and reliable telecommunications link between Sweden and Denmark, facilitating cross-border data exchange for businesses, internet service providers, and other users in the region. The cable’s short length and strategic location suggest it was designed to support low-latency communication, which is particularly important for financial services, cloud computing, and other latency-sensitive applications. However, without publicly disclosed design capacity or fiber pair information, the exact scope of its carrying capabilities remains unclear.
History: what can be established
The GeoCables database records Danica North’s ready-for-service year as 1998. If industry sources or operator documentation were to suggest a different year, this discrepancy would merit further investigation, potentially pointing to differences in how commissioning or operational dates are defined. As of now, no conflicting dates have surfaced, and the cable is listed as active and in service.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available data does not confirm the design capacity, number of fiber pairs, or supplier for Danica North. Without operator documentation, attributing specific technological details would be speculative. Given its short length, it is reasonable to assume that the cable employs relatively straightforward submarine cable technology, but the absence of disclosures prevents a deeper analysis of its capabilities.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way latency for light propagation over Danica North’s 25-kilometer length is approximately 0.1 milliseconds, with a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 0.2 milliseconds. This calculation assumes light travels through fiber at speeds between 200,000 and 204,000 kilometers per second. However, real-world latency is higher due to additional factors such as land-based tail circuits, terminal equipment delays, and routing inefficiencies. No live measurements are currently available for this cable, leaving its actual performance unverified.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
If Danica North were to experience an outage, redundancy would likely be provided by other submarine cables in the Øresund Strait or terrestrial routes between Sweden and Denmark. The region is well-connected, with multiple infrastructure options available for rerouting traffic. Standard industry practices for submarine cable repair include deploying specialized cable ships equipped with grappling tools and jointing equipment, though the short length of Danica North may simplify repair logistics compared to longer transoceanic cables.
Bottom line
- Danica North is a 25-kilometer submarine cable connecting Barsebäck (Sweden) and Tuborg (Denmark).
- Its ready-for-service year is recorded as 1998, with no conflicting dates currently reported.
- Owned by Colt, the cable is listed as in service, but its design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency for the wet segment is approximately 0.2 milliseconds RTT, though real-world performance would be higher.
- Redundancy in the Øresund Strait region ensures connectivity in case of outages.