A year after it was decided that the Danish navy’s new fleet vessels would be built in Frederikshavn, neither the shipyard nor the access roads exist. Construction has not begun, DR reported on August 17, 2026.
According to DR, little has visibly happened in the North Jutland town since the political decision was taken. The yard where the vessels are to be assembled has not been started. Mayor Jon Andersen of Venstre says work is nevertheless proceeding at full speed behind the scenes.
Andersen told DR that the right foundation must be in place before anyone breaks ground. That includes agreements with landowners, planning of new roads and creating the necessary legal basis. He compared the process to the ammunition factory known as Krudten in Elling, north of Frederikshavn, where construction is now moving quickly.
Frederikshavn Municipality holds regular meetings with the defense establishment about the project, and the municipality is satisfied with the effort, per Andersen. Under the fleet plan, 26 ships are to be built in Frederikshavn. They include four new environmental vessels that will also be able to lay mines in Danish waters.
Decision and planning steps
TV 2 reported in July 2025 that the vessels would be assembled at a new state-owned shipyard in Frederikshavn. The Ministry of Defence stated on July 4, 2025 that the parties behind the defense agreement had agreed to establish physical facilities in the town for building larger military ships.
Frederikshavn Kommune adopted the local plan for the yard in August 2025, allowing detailed planning and establishment to proceed. Industry outlet Søfart reported in June 2025 that about 135,000 square meters of quayside had been reserved. The same 2025 report estimated a build time of two to three years at a cost of up to 2 billion kroner.
The 26 smaller vessels are to be built in Denmark for a little over 3.6 billion kroner, according to figures published by dknyt in April 2025. DR reported in April 2025 that the plan covers 21 ships for the Marine Home Guard, four environmental and minelaying vessels, and one vessel to monitor subsea infrastructure such as sea cables.
Parts of the fleet plan are already in production. The Danish Defence Materiel and Procurement Agency, FMI, said on July 1, 2026 that the four environmental and minelaying vessels have been contracted. FMI stated that steel cutting for the first hull began on June 10, 2026 at a yard in Gdansk, Poland, operated by Karstensens Skibsværft.
The hulls will later be towed to Hvide Sande for outfitting, per FMI. The agency expects the vessels to enter service starting around the turn of 2029. Frederikshavn was selected for the yard ahead of three other cities, Danske Kommuner reported in August 2025.
