Neither Faroese patrol vessel available until October

Neither of the Faroe Islands’ patrol and rescue vessels is expected to be available before October, Kringvarp Føroya reported. Brimil is undergoing a lengthy planned inspection, while Tjaldrið is out of service with an engine failure.

Foreign Affairs and Fisheries Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen confirmed in parliament on Thursday that spare parts are no longer available for Tjaldrið and will have to be made from scratch.

The minister was responding to a question from Eiriki í Jákupsstovu of Tjóðveldi about emergency preparedness while neither vessel is operational.

Brimil is undergoing its planned inspection, leaving the 50 year old Tjaldrið as the only vessel intended to handle patrol and rescue duties. However, its gearbox broke down on August 19, and the part is not available off the shelf.

No funding has been allocated in the finance law for the construction or acquisition of a new vessel to replace Tjaldrið.

The Danish naval vessel Lauge Koch remains between the islands and is currently the only ship carrying out patrol and rescue services around the Faroe Islands.

Kringvarp Føroya has asked the Danish Arctic Command how long Lauge Koch is expected to remain in Faroese waters and whether it can carry out the duties normally handled by Brimil and Tjaldrið. The command has not yet responded.