Engine damage leaves Faroese patrol fleet without vessel

It is unclear when a Faroese patrol and rescue vessel will return to service, KVF reports. The Tjaldrið suffered engine damage on Thursday evening, while the Brimil is undergoing major repairs.

The Faroe Islands have two patrol and rescue vessels: the Tjaldrið, built in 1976, and the Brimil, built in 2000. The plan was for the Tjaldrið to operate alone in Faroese waters while the Brimil was out of service.

However, the Tjaldrið has been out of operation since the engine failure, leaving no Faroese patrol and rescue vessel at sea.

Jóhan Simonsen, interim director of Vørn, and Jóannes Heimustovu, a coordinator at the agency, told KVF that the thrust bearing, which absorbs pressure from the propeller, has failed. A common gearbox in front of it may also have been damaged.

The gearbox is expected to be inspected in the coming days. Simonsen said he could not estimate how long repairs to the Tjaldrið would take because the extent of the damage remains unclear. Experts will have to travel from other countries, and any replacement parts may also need to be sourced abroad.

The Brimil is undergoing scheduled repairs, making its return easier to estimate. A preliminary assessment is that it will be back in service in mid-October, Simonsen said.