The construction of the Finnish Border Guard’s new offshore patrol vessels has commenced
The Finnish Border Guard’s Offshore Patrol Vessel 2025 project has been active since 2020. The project aims to replace obsolete patrol vessels with to new Turva class patrol vessels. The construction of these new vessels has now commenced, and the first vessel is estimated to be finished in 2025. The second vessel will be finished a year after this, in other words, during 2026. The new vessels shall be in active use till 2050s.
In the last few years, significant changes have occurred in the security environment, and these are fundamental and long-lasting. The change has also posed new and even more demanding challenges to actors within the security field: we must be able to swiftly and effectively react and respond to new challenges. Finland’s maritime operational environment is challenging. The maritime traffic is very busy and diverse, which increases the risk of major accidents and close calls. The Finnish Border Guard’s capacity and its necessity in maritime duties has been put up to test during the recent events and, in addition, proved its necessity.
The Finnish Border Guard’s operational capacity in the open sea is, for a significant part, based on continuous operation and preparedness of the multifunctional offshore patrol vessels. The offshore patrol vessels are at sea for approximately 330 days of the year. Currently, the Finnish Border Guard has three operating offshore patrol vessels, of which the offshore patrol vessel Turva, introduced in 2014, is up-to-date. Preparations for giving up the two old offshore patrol vessels are made, when the new vessels are completed and they are introduced in operative use.
The operational capacity of the Finnish Border Guard’s vessels that currently are under construction is significantly better compared to the old vessels. The vessels’ abilities to monitor and response in border surveillance tasks and in control and protection of territorial integrity in connection to it will be improved. Advanced surveillance systems and solutions for data transfer improve maintenance of real-time surveillance information and sharing of it. With the help of the new vessels, the ability for mass evacuations increases. All the vessels have an immediate readiness to control serious environmental accidents and the total oil recovery capacity will be approximately double compared to the present capacity. The new vessels will produce low emissions and are energy-efficient.
In the competitive tendering that was arranged in 2021, the Finnish Border Guard chose Meyer Turku Oy as their supplier, who is in charge of the construction of the vessels in Poland and Uusikaupunki.
‒ The construction process is carried out in the facilities of our long-term shipyard associates, throughout in accordance with the quality demands of Meyer Turku. We are pleased to be able to commence the concrete construction phase and we are looking forward to the cooperation that has proceeded excellently so far, says Tapani Pulli, the Deputy Managing Director of Meyer Turku.
The parliament granted an order authorization of 448 million euros to the procurement of the vessels. In addition, funding will be applied for from the European Union’s Border Management and Visa Instrument.
The construction of the first vessel has commenced. A festive steel cutting event was held in Gdansk, Poland, on 12 December 2023. In addition to representatives of the Finnish Border Guard and Meyer Turku Oy, a representative of the classification society was also present.
Further information: New patrol vessels | The Finnish Border Guard
