Japan Marine United (JMU) delivered the icebreaking patrol vessel Soya to the Japan Coast Guard on December 19, 2025. The ceremony was held at the Yokohama Isogo Works in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The vessel has an overall length of 92.4 metres and a width of 16.4 metres. It has a gross tonnage of 4,200 tonnes.
This vessel is a replacement for the second-generation Soya and was commissioned under the 2021 supplementary budget as the largest icebreaking patrol vessel for the Japan Coast Guard.
The company said it used its technical research institute’s ice sea testing tank to conduct repeated tests simulating real sea conditions. This allowed for the adoption of a hull design that achieves high operational efficiency in both ice-covered and open waters.
JMU highlighted that Soya is equipped with a remote-controlled water cannon, a feature not included on the predecessor vessel, and incorporates an optimised anti-rolling system and improved turning performance.