Denmark has approved the construction of five Arctic patrol vessels to enhance its surveillance capabilities around Greenland.They will be manufactured across multiple production sites in the country and assembled in Frederikshavn, North Jutland. Under the decision, the assembly facility will be owned by the Danish state and designed to support the construction of larger vessels in the future.

This strategy follows a Deloitte review that identified a distributed production model as the most cost-effective option while expanding domestic industrial participation.

Operational in 2030

The new ships are reportedly scheduled to enter service by 2030 and will replace the aging Thetis- and Knud Rasmussen-class vessels, whose repeated mechanical failures have undermined Arctic surveillance and search-and-rescue coverage.

“Denmark is a large maritime nation with proud traditions in shipping and shipbuilding,” Danish Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen said.

“With the decision on a construction strategy where we bring several Danish production facilities into play as well as an assembly facility in Frederikshavn, we ensure that Denmark’s position in shipbuilding is strengthened, just as we strengthen Denmark’s security of supply in the long term.”

Possible Manufacturers

The manufacturer for the new vessels has yet to be selected. However, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported that a consortium led by Danske Flådeskibe — comprising Terma, Odense Maritime Technology, PensionDanmark, and Semco Maritime — could be awarded the contract.

The consortium previously received 490 million Danish kroner ($78 million) from the Danish Ministry of Defence to develop patrol ships for the Danish Navy, a design that was later adapted for Arctic operations.

This latest decision follows criticism that Denmark has moved too slowly to replace its aging Arctic fleet, concerns that predate recent warnings by US President Donald Trump regarding Greenland.