The construction of the two Turva-class vessels awarded by the Border Guard to the Meyer Turku shipyard enters the next phase with the christening of the “Karhu”.
The ceremony took place at the Uudenmaan Työvene (Uki Workboat) shipyard, where the ship will be fitted out. Delivery to the Border Guard is scheduled for winter 2026.
Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and the head of the Finnish Border Guard, Vice Admiral Markku Hassinen, attended the naming ceremony as representatives of the customer. The godmother was Suzanne Innes-Stubb, lawyer and wife of Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Meyer Turku was represented by CEO Casimir Lindholm.
“Our two-ship project has reached an important phase with the christening of the first ship,” said Lindholm at the naming ceremony. “The ‘Karhu’ is a clear demonstration of Meyer Turku’s ability to manage a shipbuilding project from start to finish in our partner shipyards’ facilities while meeting our own high quality requirements. Today we celebrate that the first of these two offshore patrol vessels has reached its final form and is ready to serve the Finnish Border Guard in its diverse and demanding tasks.”
For Vice Admiral Hassinen, the christening marks an important phase of the project. “The new multi-purpose offshore patrol vessels are needed in the Finnish security environment, which has changed fundamentally. They will significantly improve Finland’s maritime security,” he said. “Finns can continue to rely on the operational readiness and performance of the Finnish Border Guard in the future.”
“Turva” in service since 2014
The type ship “Turva” was delivered by STX Finland in Rauma in 2014. With a length of 95.9 m and a displacement of 4,000 t, it is the largest vessel of the Finnish Border Guard and also the first to run entirely on LNG.
In recent years, there have been significant changes in both the Finnish and global security environment This change has also presented new and more demanding challenges for those involved in the security sector. “We must be able to respond quickly and effectively to new challenges,” says a statement from Meyer Turku.
The operational capability of the Finnish Border Guard on the open sea is based to a large extent on the continuous operation and operational readiness of the multifunctional offshore patrol vessels. The new low-emission and energy-efficient offshore patrol vessels will be at sea around 330 days a year. The order for two multi-purpose offshore patrol vessels is the largest single investment in the history of the Finnish Border Guard.
