Danish consortium gearing up to build Arctic patrol ships and new frigates in Esbjerg

The consortium Danske Flådeskibe K/S is ready to undertake the full responsibility of designing, constructing, and servicing new Arctic patrol ships and future frigates for the Danish Armed Forces.

Semco Maritime, an international engineering and contracting company, has entered an agreement to join the consortium Danske Flådeskibe K/S. Following the planned expansion of the ownership group, Danske Flådeskibe K/S will be composed of Denmark’s defense company Terma; Odense Maritime Technology— a company engaged in military ship design with ongoing frigate projects in countries such as the UK, Poland, and Singapore—as well as PensionDanmark, one of Denmark’s largest pension funds and infrastructure investors.

Through a strategic partnership with Semco Maritime, the partners want to strengthen its presence in Esbjerg. Semco Maritime’s facilities in the Port of Esbjerg, a strategically significant NATO port with ongoing infrastructure improvements, provide a solid base for complex military shipbuilding projects. Esbjerg and the Region of Southern Denmark offer a skilled, adaptable workforce with specialized knowledge in project execution and maritime services, according to Semco Maritime.

Hans Schneider, CEO of Danske Flådeskibe K/S (formerly Danske Patrljeskibe K/S), expressed his enthusiasm about this major milestone:

“Producing effective ships for the Danish Navy locally is the quickest and most reliable way to deliver capacity and ensure consistent supply for the Danish Armed Forces in the years to come. With Semco Maritime now part of Danske Flådeskibe K/S, we are positioned to deliver a complete solution to the Danish Armed Forces, from the design and equipment of state-of-the-art frigates and Arctic ships to the service and maintenance of finished vessels.”

He also added that the delivery of the first ship is expected “as early as 2029”.

Steen Brødbæk, CEO of Semco Maritime, shared his excitement about joining the project and reinforcing Denmark’s naval capabilities:

“We look forward to becoming part of Danske Flådeskibe K/S, which has some of the world’s best capabilities in the delivery of military ships. It is rare that a task makes as much sense as delivering new ships to the Danish Navy for the benefit of Danish security and Danish jobs. We bring with us experience from the maritime area and complex offshore and infrastructure tasks, and we look forward to ensuring strong cooperation with Danish industrial and service companies across the country in order to meet the ambitions and wishes of the Armed Forces.”

Danske Flådeskibe K/S is currently preparing for the construction of the Danish Armed Forces’ new Arctic patrol ships, which the government ordered in 2023.

To strengthen its military capabilities, Denmark recently also placed an order for Sjøbjørn 71 rescue boats. The vessels will be constructed by Norwegian company Maritime Partner.