ICGV Þór (Thor) is an UT 512L type offshore patrol vessel designed by Rolls-Royce for the Icelandic Coast Guard, built to replace the aging . The construction of the ship was approved by the Icelandic government on 4 March 2005. Construction of the ship began at the ASMAR Naval Shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile, on 16 October 2007. Construction was delayed by over a year due to the 2010 Chilean earthquake, but damage to the structure of the ship was not as detrimental as had been expected. After repairs, the ICGV Þór was delivered to ICG personnel on 23 September 2011 in Chile. She arrived in Reykjavík on 27 October 2011. Its main tasks are EEZ patrol, fishery inspection and search and rescue support. The ship is named after the Norse god Thor. Origins The origins of the ship date back to 4 March 2005, in a proposal drafted by then-Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs (which is now a nonexistent entity), Björn Bjarnason, regarding the purchase of a new vessel, in order to replace the aging ICGV Óðinn, and aircraft for the Icelandic Coast Guard. The Althing decided that this was an exigent matter, and so a high priority was placed upon the proposal. A needs analysis pertaining to the acquisition of a multi-purpose vessel and aircraft for the ICG was initiated on 31 September 2005. The main demands were that the vessel should be designed for rescue work and patrolling, pollution prevention, fuelling search and rescue helicopters, and meeting civil defence requirements anywhere around the country. In addition, it was to be equipped for response to, and prevention of, terrorist threats and be suitable for operations involving the police or customs authorities, and for all types of rescue and salvage work. The bollard pull of the vessel was to take account of the greatly increased volume of passenger and cargo shipping in Iceland's economic zone and coastal waters. Construction Bids for the construction of the ship were open to application and submission at the State Trading Centre. After processing through the STC, the bids were to be submitted dually to the Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs and the ICG. 15 bids were received from 12 countries. The winning bid was the second bid of ASMAR, Chile's largest shipbuilding corporation. The contract for the construction of the new vessel was signed on 20 December 2006 by Björn, Árni M.