Denmark strengthens Arctic maritime preparedness with Greenlandic partners

The Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret) have stepped up their presence in and around Greenland, conducting a series of exercises focused on maritime safety, search and rescue, and environmental protection. The drills involve the inspection vessels Ejnar Mikkelsen and Thetis, supported by an Air Transport Wing Challenger surveillance aircraft.

Kamil Kusier executive editor 10.09.2025, 21:27 Reading time: 1 min

Grey inspection vessel P571 on the water off a rocky, mist covered Greenland coastline — fot. Forsvaret

In brief

The Danish Armed Forces Forsvaret are conducting maritime security, rescue and environmental protection exercises in the Greenland area with the inspection ships Ejnar Mikkelsen and Thetis and an Air Transport Wing Challenger patrol aircraft. Scenarios included a simulated collision of the Royal Arctic Line A/S vessel Tilioq with a rock and an oil spill contained with floating booms, as well as a fire aboard the cargo ship Tilioq Arctica with the evacuation of casualties by an Air Greenland helicopter. Forsvaret units will remain in the Greenland area for the next two weeks.

Oil spill response

One exercise simulated a collision involving Tilioq, a Royal Arctic Line cargo vessel, striking an underwater obstacle and releasing oil into the sea. Thetis and Ejnar Mikkelsen deployed floating booms to contain the spill and prevent it from reaching the shoreline. The Challenger aircraft monitored the extent of the simulated spill from above and coordinated the vessels’ maneuvers.

Fire and casualty evacuation

In a separate drill, a fire was simulated aboard Tilioq Arctica to test crew readiness and emergency response procedures. Thetis and Ejnar Mikkelsen were dispatched to assist, while members of the Danish Home Guard acted as casualties. The injured were evacuated by an Air Greenland rescue helicopter, showcasing civil-military coordination under realistic Arctic conditions.

Strengthening Arctic readiness

Forsvaret emphasizes that these exercises are designed not only to test naval procedures and equipment but also to build seamless cooperation with civilian companies and local Greenlandic authorities. Operating in the High North demands close coordination, rapid decision-making, and robust logistics.

Over the coming weeks, Danish naval units will remain active along Greenland’s coast, continuing drills to strengthen Denmark’s overall ability to respond to environmental incidents and maritime emergencies in the Arctic.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier