KV Hope at the christening ceremony (Credit: Norwegian Coast Guard)

Norwegian Coast Guard Christens 3rd And Final Jan Mayen-Class OPV

The last of the three Jan Mayen class coastguard vessels strengthening the control and surveillance in the northern area was christened by Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen on Wednesday 12 June at Vard Langsten in Norway.

Norwegian Coast Guard press release

With the naming ceremony of the third vessel in the Jan Mayen class, one of Norway’s largest maritime acquisitions ever is about to be completed.

Norway’s new coast guard vessel KV Hopen is very important for guarding Norway’s interests in the Norwegian economic zone (NØS) and the protection zone around Svalbard.

The vessel will contribute to strengthening the Coast Guard’s preparedness, capability, and endurance along the coast and throughout Norway’s maritime area of interest.

“The Coast Guard’s presence and exercise of authority in Norwegian waters provides security, both in peaceful times and in the more turbulent times we are experiencing now. The Coast Guard solves a variety of tasks and is a visible actor preventing environmental crime on the coast and at sea. Functional and modern equipment together with solid crews is important to do the job. I am excited to become godfather of KV Hopen. Congratulations to the Coast Guard on a new vessel,”
Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen

“This is a big day for us in the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and the Norwegian coastline. We welcome KV Hopen, the third and final coast guard vessel in the Jan Mayen class, to the Norwegian Armed Forces. For decades, we have supported the Navy and the Coast Guard with the North Cape class. We are looking forward to supporting KV Hopen and the Jan Mayen class throughout its service to Norway,”
Gro Jære, Director General of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency

NOK 8 billion

“The Coast Guard is a very important resource for Norway as an official authority at sea. With the three vessels in the Jan Mayen class, we strengthen our ability to keep the overview and control in Norway’s vicinity in the serious security situation we are in. KV Hopen completes the class and will contribute to this important task for our country,”
Marie Lamo Vikanes, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence.

Together, the vessels have a total cost of NOK 8 billion NOK and are a large and important maritime acquisition.

“This is a milestone for Norway as a maritime nation. With these vessels, we will have a modern fleet designed to operate in the demanding High North with the technology that today’s defence requires,”
Oliver Berdal, Chief of the Navy

Norwegian suppliers

The contract to build three coast guard vessels was signed between the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and VARD on June 25th, 2018.

The first two Coast Guard vessels, KV Jan Mayen and KV Bjørnøya, were handed over from the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency to the Navy in 2023.

Mainly Norwegian suppliers have been used for finalizing the Jan Mayen class. This contributes to further developing national expertise and capacity in the maritime industry.

“We are very pleased to be able to complete the last of the three Coast Guard vessels on time, and with the quality that was requested when the contract was signed. Through a successful delivery, VARD proves that we are a leading shipbuilder and integrator of advanced defence vessels important for the strategic security of Norway. We would like to thank the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and the Coast Guard for their trust in this assignment,”
Ronny Opsjøn Langset, Yard Director at Vard Langste

Facts about the Jan Mayen class:

• KV Hopen is built under strict environmental and emission requirements, and the three new vessels have CBRN protection, which means collective protection against chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear pollution.
• The Jan Mayen class is a significantly larger vessel than the Nordkapp class and has capabilities such as ice reinforcement, modern technology, accommodation for 100 people, helicopter deck and hangar, and can go eight weeks at sea without resupply of fuel, provisions, and other consumables.
• Strict requirements have been set for the vessels’ ocean-going characteristics, strength, stability, helicopter availability, sensors and communication and control capacity.
• Like the other two vessels KV Hopen is 136.4 meters long and 22 meters wide and will be able to operate throughout Norway’s area of interest. The choice of technology on the new coast guard vessels has emphasized environmentally oriented solutions. These are modern vessels based on available and known technology. The
• Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency has designed the vessels together with LMG in Bergen, based on the Navy’s requirements.
• The hulls are built by Vard Shipyards Romania – Tulcea and outfitted, finalized, and delivered from Vard Langsten in Norway.