After criticism, Danish patrol ship was in Greenland during von der Leyen visit

The timing could hardly have been more convenient. On Sunday, the Danish inspection ship Thetis quietly passed Nuuk's old colonial harbor just as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and international media arrived.

Von der Leyen was due to sail through the Arctic fjords around Nuuk with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's head of government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. The trip came one day before von der Leyen was expected to announce a major investment in Greenland and sign a joint declaration with Greenland and Denmark on expanded cooperation with the European Union.

For Denmark, Thetis offered a highly visible demonstration that it is protecting Greenland and the Arctic. But the ship's appearance also highlighted recent criticism. DR reported that none of the Danish military's four inspection ships had been in Greenland for several weeks in August, based on position data from the vessels.

The Danish Defence Ministry is required to be able to provide at least one large Arctic ship from the Thetis class in Greenland all year round. The vessels play a central role in rescue preparedness across the vast Arctic region. According to DR, when no inspection ship is available, no ship can sail out with a helicopter to rescue people far from the coast.

Patrick Abrahamsen, an emergency preparedness consultant with experience in Greenland rescue missions, told DR that the absence was particularly poorly timed because it coincided with the peak hunting and tourism season. "The helicopter is essential when we are talking about the long distances we have in Greenland. When there is no inspection ship up here, it becomes a problem for the people of Greenland."

DR and TV 2 have reported staffing problems in the Danish navy based on internal documents. DR said in April that one in 10 navy positions was vacant, while a document seen by TV 2 described the shortage as "very concerning". DR reported that the shortage forced the navy to cancel the Hvidbjørnen's planned Greenland voyage. Thetis had taken part in Nanook Tuugaalik, Canada's largest annual maritime exercise in the Arctic, before arriving in Nuuk. The three leaders received a briefing aboard the ship but did not give interviews.

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The helicopter is essential when we are talking about the long distances we have in Greenland. When there is no inspection ship up here, it becomes a problem for the people of Greenland.