Denmark’s new frigates, part of a massive, three-digit billion kroner acquisition plan, must be assembled in Frederikshavn. This decision, announced by Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, was reached by the parties involved in the defense agreement.

The agreement stipulates that the ships will not be constructed in Skagen, Odense, or Esbjerg, despite offers from consortia in those locations. Defence Minister Poulsen emphasized that the location is secondary to ensuring the highest quality construction, asserting that Frederikshavn possesses the necessary infrastructure to re-establish ship production within Denmark.

The naval plan, agreed upon in April, outlines the acquisition of 26 new ships to modernize and reinforce the fleet. This includes:

• One specialized ship equipped with drones and sonar systems for underwater surveillance.
• Four environmental ships with mine-laying capabilities.
• Twenty-one ships for the Naval Home Guard.

The Defence Ministry has allocated DKK 3.4 billion to the surveillance pool.

Social Democrats’ defence spokesman Simon Kollerup, a candidate for election in Frederikshavn, supports the agreement, citing the defence’s recommendation based on the area’s maritime expertise. Kollerup anticipates the agreement will bring 500 to 700 new jobs to Frederikshavn.

The Defence estimates the total cost for acquiring the new naval ships could reach DKK 100 billion.