The second Pohjanmaa-class multi-purpose corvette to be built for the Finnish Navy has been launched in Rauma. The ship was moved from the construction hall to the shipyard basin, where the work of building and equipping the ship continues. A formal launch ceremony was held in Rauma on 21 May.
The project is progressing towards the completion of four Pohjanmaa-class vessels by 2029. The boats will be put into use gradually.
“This moment is not only important for the Navy, but also for the entire Finnish marine industry. It is gratifying to be here and to be able to tell you that all four high-performance vessels are now in production – and two have already been launched,” says Rear Admiral Tuomas Tiilikainen.
“Despite the fact that the project has proven to be demanding and the schedule has been slightly delayed, we have been able to manage the entire project schedule reasonably well,” Tiilikainen adds.
Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) and its subsidiary RMC Defence Oy are building the Pohjanmaa-class multi-purpose corvettes for the Navy. The corvettes have been designed for the varying conditions in the Baltic Sea, and the vessels have been ordered by the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command.
“I would like to emphasize the common work culture that the Defence Forces and the industrial operators share, which has developed in an excellent way. We have once again built a competent national and Nordic warship building ecosystem that has been able to plan and build a demanding Arctic warship entity with an excellent learning curve. The expertise and industrial capacity that has emerged have not gone unnoticed internationally,” says Deputy Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command, Engineer Brigadier General Juha-Matti Ylitalo.
The capabilities needed by Pohjanmaa-class ships are vital to ensure Finland’s national defense and the alliance’s common security. The ships will serve the Navy, the Defence Forces and the Alliance until the 2060s.