Marine Link
Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Steerprop to Provide Ice-Class Propulsion for Danish Multi-Role Environmental Vessel

Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.

October 20, 2026

The new Multi-Role Environmental Vessel being built for the Royal Danish Navy by Karstensens Skibsværft will be equipped with two Steerprop SP 45 W azimuth propulsors and a Steerprop SP 10 TT tunnel thruster. Image: OSK Design.

The new Multi-Role Environmental Vessel being built for the Royal Danish Navy by Karstensens Skibsværft will be equipped with two Steerprop SP 45 W azimuth propulsors and a Steerprop SP 10 TT tunnel thruster. Image: OSK Design.

Finnish marine propulsion provider Steerprop has secured a contract with Karstensens Skibsværft to supply a complete ice-class propulsion package for a Multi-Role Environmental Vessel being built for the Royal Danish Navy.

The vessel is one of four commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation to strengthen Denmark's marine environmental response and defense capabilities. The program is being delivered by Orlogsskibe Danmark, a consortium comprising OSK Design, Karstensens Skibsværft and Hvide Sande Shipyard.

The project marks an important milestone for Steerprop, demonstrating the company's capability to deliver propulsion control systems compliant with DNV's SP2 cyber security requirements.

Steerprop's will deliver two Steerprop SP 45 W azimuth propulsors rated at 2,200 kW each – including permanent-magnet motors also supplied by Steerpop - together with a Steerprop SP 10 TT tunnel thruster rated at 750 kW. The scope also includes bridge control systems and the complete propulsion control system. The integrated propulsion package is designed to support the vessel's DNV Ice Class 1A notation, enabling reliable operation in demanding ice conditions.

Steerprop's W series azimuth propulsors combine advanced drivetrain design with highly efficient hydrodynamics to deliver reliable performance in some of the world's most demanding operating environments. The optimized housing geometry and robust cast-steel lower unit maximize efficiency, durability and operational reliability. The design has already proven itself in commercial applications ranging from harbour tugs to heavy-duty offshore vessels operating in demanding ice conditions.

Steerprop has supplied mission-critical propulsion systems for governmental and naval vessel programs worldwide, including projects in Canada, the United States and across the Nordic and Baltic regions. Through these projects, the company has developed extensive expertise in meeting the demanding operational, technical and lifecycle requirements of naval and government operators.

Construction of the vessel series has already begun at Karstensens Skibsværft's yard in Gdańsk, Poland. Steerprop will begin deliveries of the propulsion package in March 2027, with the first vessel expected to enter service in 2029.

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