Denmark has signed a contract for four new maritime environment and minelaying vessels to replace the navy's current ships in this area. The vessels will be capable of performing both civilian and military tasks, including minelaying, maritime surveillance, and the assertion of Danish sovereignty.
According to a press release from the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (FMI, Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse), the contract has been signed with the consortium Orlogsskibe Danmark, consisting of the Danish companies OSK Design, Karstensens Skibsværft, and Hvide Sande Shipyard.
"I am pleased to sign this agreement. The new vessels will provide the navy with modern capabilities for maritime environmental preparedness. They will enable tasks within the maritime environment domain to be carried out effectively and in accordance with the international conventions to which Denmark is party," says Flotilla Admiral Claus Lundholm Andersen, Head of the Naval Programme at FMI, in the press release.
The new vessels form part of the Danish naval fleet plan under the defence agreement for 2024 to 2033. In addition to maritime environment missions, they will be capable of laying sea mines and supporting tasks such as waterway surveillance and the assertion of sovereignty. The vessels are being procured by FMI, will be crewed by the Danish Navy (Søværnet), and will be used for maritime environment missions under the Ministry for Community Security and Preparedness (Ministeriet for Samfundssikkerhed og Beredskab).
According to FMI, steel fabrication for the first hull commenced on 10 June at Karstensens Skibsværft's shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland. The hull is subsequently expected to be towed to Hvide Sande (western Denmark) for outfitting and completion. The first operational delivery is planned for the turn of 2029.
In a separate press release, Orlogsskibe Danmark describes the contract as an important step for the Danish shipbuilding industry. The consortium highlights that this is the first time since 2016 that new vessels for the Danish Navy have been built at Danish shipyards, and regards the project as the beginning of a greater role for Danish industry in the naval rearmament effort.
"For us, this is not just about four vessels. It is also about demonstrating that Danish industry can take on a greater role as the navy is strengthened in the years ahead," says Jacob Høgh Thygesen, Chief Executive of OSK Design.
The consortium states that design, outfitting, completion, and future maintenance will be carried out in Denmark, while the larger hulls will be built at Karstensens' subsidiary shipyard in Poland. The contract is valued at approximately 1.9 billion Danish kroner, with deliveries expected between 2028 and 2030.