Estonia’s Navy to build larger ships locally, defence chief reveals

Estonia’s Navy requires larger ships with superior seaworthiness compared to the current minesweepers, according to Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur.

Pevkur stated that Estonia needs a total of three large ships, approximately 90 meters in length. However, if budget issues arise, compromises may need to be made, Caliber.Az reports via Estonian media.

Additionally, the country requires nine smaller vessels, around 60-70 meters long, but the service life of existing ships may be extended.

According to Pevkur, the new ships should be built in Estonia.

"For vessels of this size, we are primarily talking about two builders – Baltic Workboats and BLRT. But I do not exclude the possibility that smaller shipbuilders will increase their capabilities to the point where they can build smaller ships," Pevkur said.

Lithuania has already decided to build new military ships. BLRT has tasked its Lithuanian company, Western Baltic Engineering, in collaboration with Danish firm OSK Design, to design the 88-meter military vessel "Perkunas".

The naval commanders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania discussed the vision for a new fleet back in 2017. According to Major General Andrus Merilo, Commander of Estonia’s Defence Forces, Estonia’s Navy already has a clear idea of the ships it needs.

"For us, it is much more important to secure long-term funding, which will serve as the basis for the further development of the Navy's ships. We need to find the resources, and that work is already underway. We will likely find those resources, and we will create a plan detailing when and which ships will be built," said Merilo.

Estonia has tasked Sweden’s national research institute, RISE, with analyzing which type of vessel would best serve military, border, and rescue functions, as well as pollution control.

"We expect to receive the recommendation in the coming months. The main goal is to determine which vessel would be the most suitable for the Baltic region or the Baltic Sea, providing multifunctionality for the Navy," explained Pevkur.

A day earlier, on March 18, Estonia’s government approved an increase in defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2026.

This decision was announced by the country’s Prime Minister, Kristen Michal.

The decision came after the government reviewed recommendations from the Commander of the Defence Forces and the Minister of Defence.

"We need to make additional investments," emphasized Michal during a press conference.

By Tamilla Hasanova