Shipyard
Tommi Hakala is working as lead designer in HVAC at Helsinki Shipyard’s Turku office, coordinating engineering across vessel projects and linking his discipline with project management and production. He is currently involved in the yard’s Arctic Security Cutter program for the United States, after a nearly 20-year career that included ship design consultancies, power plant engineering and subcontractor coordination.
Helsinki Shipyard has built up a Turku design office with more than 40 professionals in less than two years, after setting it up in 2024. The office now handles machinery, HVAC, electrical, interior, hull and deck outfitting work for the yard’s projects, while the wider design organisation totals around 160 people.
Sata Shipbuilding has started construction of the first Arctic Security Cutter icebreaker for the United States Coast Guard in Pori. The first two vessels in the five-ship program will be built at Helsinki Shipyard with Sata support, with delivery of the first ship due in 2028.
Hull assembly has begun in Helsinki for Polar Max, the Canadian icebreaker commissioned by the Government of Canada. The vessel started construction in August 2025 and will have its completed hull finished at Davie Shipbuilding’s yard in Québec in 2030.
Davie Defense said it has finalised a $3.5B contract with the US Coast Guard for five Arctic Security Cutters, moving the program from a February letter contract into execution. Helsinki Shipyard will build two of the vessels with Sata Shipbuilding, while three will be built at Gulf Copper in Texas.
A Swedish Court of Appeals has upheld the Swedish Maritime Administration’s decision to award Hyundai Heavy Industries the contract to build Sweden’s next icebreaker. Helsinki Shipyard said it was disappointed not to be selected and that the appeal process had reinforced its view of its own icebreaker references and concept designs.
Davie Defense has won a U.S. Coast Guard contract to build five Arctic Security Cutters, with two of the vessels to be built in Finland at Helsinki Shipyard. The program is part of a plan for up to 11 cutters, and the first is due in 2028.
Helsinki Shipyard will be one of the main partners of the Lux Helsinki light art festival this winter, using the event to spotlight the Polar Max icebreaker now under construction for the Canadian Coast Guard. The 2026 festival’s largest artwork, Rooms of Light, will feature the shipyard’s Hietalahti cranes, while steel block construction on Polar Max began in the summer in Helsinki and at Davie’s SATA Shipbuilding in the autumn.
ABB has secured a contract to supply the complete electric power and propulsion package for Polar Max, the new 22,800-tonne icebreaker being built for the Canadian Coast Guard. The vessel is being constructed by Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and Davie Shipbuilding in Quebec and is expected to enter service by 2030.
Davie Shipbuilding has appointed Mika Heiskanen as CEO for its Finland operations, covering Helsinki Shipyard and the recently acquired SATA Shipbuilding in Pori. Heiskanen will coordinate the two yards in Finland alongside managing directors Kim Salmi and Niko Suomela. Davie said the direct workforce of its Finland companies is expected to rise by at least 650 employees over the next two years.
Helsinki Shipyard has selected PipeCloud for a digital system to manage pipe prefabrication at the yard in Helsinki. The agreement is tied to the yard’s ramp-up under Davie ownership, with managing director Kim Salmi saying the platform will help with precision, speed and control.
Davie has agreed to acquire Enersense Offshore Oy, the Enersense Marine and Offshore Unit in Pori, Finland. The deal is subject to closing conditions expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. Helsinki Shipyard said the unit’s steel production in Mäntyluoto will support the Polar Max heavy icebreaker project, with steel work to begin as soon as possible and vessel construction in Helsinki due to start in August.