The keel laying of the fourth Pohjanmaa-class multifunction corvette took place at the Rauma shipyard on Tuesday, 4 August 2026. The keel-laying ceremony is a traditional and symbolically important milestone in shipbuilding that marks the concrete beginning of the assembly of the blocks of a warship.
Steel production for the fourth multi-purpose corvette started in January 2026.
During the ceremony that took place on Tuesday in the multi-purpose hall of the Rauma shipyard, the ship’s building blocks were placed on the construction pillars, and the traditional lucky coins were placed under the keel.
“The ships under construction, together with the systems of the coastal units and the future unmanned systems, will form a significant naval capability for our entire defense system,” says Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Janne Huusko.
RMC and its subsidiary RMC Defense Oy are building a total of four multi-purpose corvettes for the Navy.
The first two vessels included in the project have been launched and are now being equipped with equipment. The assembly of the third multi-purpose corvette is ongoing and the keel laying took place in January 2026.
The Pohjanmaa-class vessels are designed to operate all year round in the varying conditions of the Baltic Sea. They can, among other things, lay sea mines, fight submarines, secure sea connections and can have a long-term military presence at sea.
“From the Navy’s point of view, these ships enable a naval presence and capabilities that ensure our freedom of action in all circumstances. However, the capability of ships will only arise with the availability of skilled personnel, and we see that there is also a need for a new type of expertise and professional ability,” Huusko adds.
The four modern multi-purpose corvettes with the ability to navigate in ice replace seven of the Navy’s aging ships. The project will strengthen the preparedness of the Finnish Navy in the changed security environment.