Norway's Newest Coast Guard Vessel Ready for Operations in the High North
The Norwegian coast guard vessel KV Jan Mayen docked in Sortland earlier this week. It was formally handed over to the Norwegian Navy at the start of 2023. The new Jan Mayen class will eventually replace the Nordkapp class, represented here by KV Andenes (right), after over 40 years in service. (Photo: The Norwegian Coast Guard)
On Monday, Norway’s new coast guard vessel KV Jan Mayen docked for the first time at the Norwegian Navy’s northern Coast Guard station in Sortland. The patrol vessel will protect Norwegian interests in the High North.
At the start of this week, the recently completed Norwegian patrol vessel KV Jan Mayen made its first port call in Sortland in Vesterålen, Northern Norway.
This is where the staff and command of the Norwegian Coast Guard are based. It is part of the Norwegian Navy.
“Finally home!” the Coast Guard comments on the vessel’s port call.
KV Jan Mayen is the first of a total of three new coast guard vessels that will safeguard Norwegian interests in the country’s large ocean areas in the High North.
The vessel is 136 meters long and 22 meters wide. It is equipped with modern technology and designed to operate in challenging Arctic waters. Among the facilities are a helideck and a hangar, as well as a cabin capacity for 100 persons.
It can manage at sea for eight weeks without resupplying fuel and provisions.
Replaces ship class from the 80s
The investment in the three new patrol vessels has a cost frame of NOK 7.2 billion. This is one of the largest procurements in the Norwegian maritime sector ever, according to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency.
By the end of 2024, the Coast Guard's three ships of the Nordkapp class from the 1980s will be replaced by the significantly larger Jan Mayen class.
The other new ships are scheduled to be delivered this year and next year. They are called KV Bjørnøya and KV Hopen.
The Coast Guard's mission is to protect Norway’s sovereignty and sovereign rights in Norwegian waters and zones. It is also tasked to handle customs, inspections of fishery activities, environmental supervision and oil spill preparedness, SAR operations, and docking control.
