The Finnish shipyard Meyer Turku has started building the first ship of the “Turva” class. The first steel cut was made in Poland.
The Turku-based subsidiary of Papenburg-based Meyer Werft was awarded the contract to build two border guard vessels last year [ds_preview].
The start of production was celebrated with a traditional ceremony of the first steel cut in Gdansk, Poland.
Finland had ordered two 98-meter-long ships of the so-called Turva class for maritime border protection. They are to replace the older patrol vessels “Tursas” and “Uisko”. Delivery of the first newbuild is planned for 2025, with the second ship due to arrive a year later. They should be able to be deployed until the 2050s.
Meyer Turku builds special ships
“The performance of the border guard ships currently under construction will be significantly improved compared to the previous ships,” the shipyard has now announced. For example, “advanced monitoring systems and data transmission solutions” will improve situational awareness and data exchange.
The new ships will also serve as command bases for other ships, helicopters, lifeguards, divers and, if necessary, other public safety authorities in joint operations. With them, the ability to carry out mass evacuations is expected to grow to more than 400 people.
“The construction process will be carried out consistently in accordance with Meyer Turku’s quality requirements at our long-standing partner shipyards. We are satisfied that we have reached the start of the concrete construction phase and look forward to continuing the excellent cooperation so far,” said Tapani Pulli, Deputy CEO of Meyer Turku.
ABB is supplying an integrated power and propulsion package with two Azipod drives and the onboard DC Grid power supply system. The Azipod propulsion system is designed to provide high maneuverability and icebreaking capabilities to support demanding operations. The Onboard DC Grid, on the other hand, is designed to provide improved drivetrain efficiency and compatibility with alternative power sources, ABB said.
Patrolling the Finnish coastline, which is characterized by rocky waters, rugged coastlines and difficult winter conditions, places high demands on the vessels. The dual Azipod propulsors provide the necessary maneuverability and icebreaking capability to optimize performance and safety while increasing crew comfort by minimizing vibrations, ABB says.
