HUNDREDS of Icelanders have queued to visit their new symbol of naval power - the new fishery protection cruiser Thor.
The powerful new ship arrived in Reykjavik last week after a month-long 14,000-mile voyage from Chile where it was built. It has been open to members of the public from the Icelandic capital for three days and it attracted a large number of visitors.
The Thor, named after the hammer wielding Norse god of thunder, will shortly leave on a tour of the entire island, calling at various key ports along the way so as many people as possible get a chance to see what she can do.
At one time it looked as if the ship would be sold to Norway. Doubts were raised whether the country could afford the multi-million pound cost following the Icelandic bank collapse two years ago. But with possible EU membership on the horizon and growing global tensions over fishing rights it was felt a more modern fishery protection ship was needed. Delivery was delayed for 12 months because of the Chilean earthquake.
The new 300-foot long Thor, which is armed, will be able to operate in the rougher waters of the North Atlantic. Iceland has no navy (or army and air force either) so the Thor will be operated by the country's coastguard service which has two other fishery protection ships, an aircraft and rescue helicopters.
The Thor will have several roles including combating illegal fishing, policing of the seas, and to providing a search and rescue service for fishing vessels that might get into difficulties. The Icelandic Coastguard - its motto is "Always Prepared" - was first established in the 1920s to monitor the country's fishing limits which were then just three miles from shore.
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