diff --git a/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/__init__.py b/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/__init__.py
index 6ef2ec9d2a..27bffa38d7 100644
--- a/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/__init__.py
+++ b/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/__init__.py
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ def get_required(short_name, project):
         List of dictionaries (including at least the key `short_name`).
 
     """
-    if short_name not in ALL_DERIVED_VARIABLES:
+    if short_name.lower() not in ALL_DERIVED_VARIABLES:
         raise NotImplementedError(
             f"Cannot derive variable '{short_name}', no derivation script "
             f"available")
-    DerivedVariable = ALL_DERIVED_VARIABLES[short_name]  # noqa: N806
+    DerivedVariable = ALL_DERIVED_VARIABLES[short_name.lower()]  # noqa: N806
     variables = deepcopy(DerivedVariable().required(project))
     return variables
 
diff --git a/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/sfcwind.py b/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/sfcwind.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2af241f517
--- /dev/null
+++ b/esmvalcore/preprocessor/_derive/sfcwind.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+"""Derivation of variable `sfcWind`."""
+
+from iris import NameConstraint
+
+from ._baseclass import DerivedVariableBase
+
+
+class DerivedVariable(DerivedVariableBase):
+    """Derivation of variable `sfcWind`."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def required(project):
+        """Declare the variables needed for derivation."""
+        required = [
+            {
+                'short_name': 'uas'
+            },
+            {
+                'short_name': 'vas'
+            },
+        ]
+        return required
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate(cubes):
+        """Compute near-surface wind speed.
+
+        Wind speed derived from eastward and northward components.
+        """
+        uas_cube = cubes.extract_cube(NameConstraint(var_name='uas'))
+        vas_cube = cubes.extract_cube(NameConstraint(var_name='vas'))
+
+        sfcwind_cube = (uas_cube**2 + vas_cube**2)**0.5
+
+        return sfcwind_cube
diff --git a/tests/integration/cmor/_fixes/native6/test_era5.py b/tests/integration/cmor/_fixes/native6/test_era5.py
index 6b8a4922b7..70b432541d 100644
--- a/tests/integration/cmor/_fixes/native6/test_era5.py
+++ b/tests/integration/cmor/_fixes/native6/test_era5.py
@@ -999,6 +999,44 @@ def uas_cmor_e1hr():
     return iris.cube.CubeList([cube])
 
 
+def vas_era5_hourly():
+    time = _era5_time('hourly')
+    cube = iris.cube.Cube(
+        _era5_data('hourly'),
+        long_name='10m_v_component_of_wind',
+        var_name='v10',
+        units='m s-1',
+        dim_coords_and_dims=[
+            (time, 0),
+            (_era5_latitude(), 1),
+            (_era5_longitude(), 2),
+        ],
+    )
+    return iris.cube.CubeList([cube])
+
+
+def vas_cmor_e1hr():
+    cmor_table = CMOR_TABLES['native6']
+    vardef = cmor_table.get_variable('E1hr', 'vas')
+    time = _cmor_time('E1hr')
+    data = _cmor_data('E1hr')
+    cube = iris.cube.Cube(
+        data.astype('float32'),
+        long_name=vardef.long_name,
+        var_name=vardef.short_name,
+        standard_name=vardef.standard_name,
+        units=Unit(vardef.units),
+        dim_coords_and_dims=[
+            (time, 0),
+            (_cmor_latitude(), 1),
+            (_cmor_longitude(), 2),
+        ],
+        attributes={'comment': COMMENT},
+    )
+    cube.add_aux_coord(_cmor_aux_height(10.))
+    return iris.cube.CubeList([cube])
+
+
 VARIABLES = [
     pytest.param(a, b, c, d, id=c + '_' + d) for (a, b, c, d) in [
         (cl_era5_monthly(), cl_cmor_amon(), 'cl', 'Amon'),
@@ -1022,6 +1060,7 @@ def uas_cmor_e1hr():
         (tasmax_era5_hourly(), tasmax_cmor_e1hr(), 'tasmax', 'E1hr'),
         (tasmin_era5_hourly(), tasmin_cmor_e1hr(), 'tasmin', 'E1hr'),
         (uas_era5_hourly(), uas_cmor_e1hr(), 'uas', 'E1hr'),
+        (vas_era5_hourly(), vas_cmor_e1hr(), 'vas', 'E1hr'),
         (zg_era5_monthly(), zg_cmor_amon(), 'zg', 'Amon'),
     ]
 ]
@@ -1045,6 +1084,16 @@ def test_cmorization(era5_cubes, cmor_cubes, var, mip):
             coord.points = np.round(coord.points, decimals=7)
             if coord.bounds is not None:
                 coord.bounds = np.round(coord.bounds, decimals=7)
+    print("Test results for variable/MIP: ", var, mip)
     print('cmor_cube:', cmor_cube)
     print('fixed_cube:', fixed_cube)
+    print('cmor_cube data:', cmor_cube.data)
+    print('fixed_cube data:', fixed_cube.data)
+    print("cmor_cube coords:")
+    for coord in cmor_cube.coords():
+        print(coord)
+    print("\n")
+    print("fixed_cube coords:")
+    for coord in fixed_cube.coords():
+        print(coord)
     assert fixed_cube == cmor_cube
diff --git a/tests/unit/preprocessor/_derive/test_sfcwind.py b/tests/unit/preprocessor/_derive/test_sfcwind.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a249c4fe9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/preprocessor/_derive/test_sfcwind.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""Test derivation of ``sfcwind``."""
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+from iris.cube import CubeList
+
+from esmvalcore.preprocessor._derive import sfcwind
+
+from .test_shared import get_cube
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cubes():
+    """Input cubes for derivation of ``sfcwind``."""
+    uas_cube = get_cube([[[3.0]]],
+                        air_pressure_coord=False,
+                        standard_name='eastward_wind',
+                        var_name='uas',
+                        units='m s-1')
+    vas_cube = get_cube([[[4.0]]],
+                        air_pressure_coord=False,
+                        standard_name='northward_wind',
+                        var_name='vas',
+                        units='m s-1')
+    return CubeList([uas_cube, vas_cube])
+
+
+def test_sfcwind_calculate(cubes):
+    """Test function ``calculate``."""
+    derived_var = sfcwind.DerivedVariable()
+    required_vars = derived_var.required("CMIP5")
+    expected_required_vars = [
+        {
+            'short_name': 'uas'
+        },
+        {
+            'short_name': 'vas'
+        },
+    ]
+    assert required_vars == expected_required_vars
+    out_cube = derived_var.calculate(cubes)
+    assert out_cube.shape == (1, 1, 1)
+    assert out_cube.units == 'm s-1'
+    assert out_cube.coords('time')
+    assert out_cube.coords('latitude')
+    assert out_cube.coords('longitude')
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(out_cube.data, [[[5.0]]])
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(out_cube.coord('time').points, [0.0])
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(out_cube.coord('latitude').points, [45.0])
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(out_cube.coord('longitude').points, [10.0])