Elektra-GlobalConnect 1 (GC1)

Overview

Elektra-GlobalConnect 1 (GC1) is a short regional submarine cable connecting Denmark and Germany across the Baltic Sea. Spanning 44 kilometres, it links two countries separated by a relatively narrow stretch of water and serves the Danish-German corridor. The cable has been in service since 2000 and is owned and operated by GlobalConnect.

Route and Landings

In Denmark, the cable lands at Gedser, located on the southern tip of the island of Falster. In Germany, the landing point is Rostock, on the country's Baltic coast. These two landing points define a short cross-Baltic connection between the two countries.

Ownership and Operators

Elektra-GlobalConnect 1 is owned by GlobalConnect, a Nordic telecommunications infrastructure operator. As the sole owner, GlobalConnect operates the cable independently.

Status and Timeline

The cable became ready for service in 2000 and has now been operational for approximately 26 years, making it one of the longer-serving submarine cable systems in the Danish-German corridor.

Regional Context

The Danish-German corridor is served by a number of other submarine cables of varying lengths and purposes. Elektra-GlobalConnect 1, at 44 km, is among the shorter systems in this region, longer than approximately 26 percent of the other cables touching Denmark or Germany. Nearby systems in the broader regional picture include Aurora, COBRAcable, and C-Lion1, as well as longer intercontinental cables such as Atlantic Crossing-1 and Havfrue/AEC-2. Within this varied landscape, GC1 occupies a distinct niche as a direct, short-distance link between two specific Baltic coast landing points.

Measured performance over the last 60 days, based on 76 ping tests routed through the cable, shows an average round-trip latency of 27.0 ms, with a best recorded result of 24.6 ms. These figures are consistent with the cable's short physical length.

Strategic Role

Elektra-GlobalConnect 1 provides a direct submarine connection between the Danish landfall at Gedser and the German port city of Rostock. Given its age and relatively short span, it represents a stable point-to-point link in a corridor that has since seen additional cable infrastructure added over subsequent decades. The cable connects two countries with well-developed terrestrial and marine communications networks, contributing to the overall mesh of connectivity between Denmark and Germany across the Baltic.