Seatec International Maritime Review 1/2013 - PubliCo Oy

In the meantime, the future of STX
Finland’s Turku and Rauma shipyards in
south-western Finland is on the line. A
number of companies in the Finnish maritime
cluster are considering partial co-op-
erative ownership in Turku shipyard, but
the realisation of such an arrangement is
in no way certain.
But perhaps things are not as gloomy
as they appear to be.
Photo: STX Europe
PROPULSION FOR
NEW EXPORTS
While STX Finland’s shipyards in Turku and
Rauma are facing troubled times, both
yards have highly skilled shipbuilders on
their payroll. Their expertise will be in high
demand yet.
Moreover, the Finnish Marine Industries
cluster incorporates numerous hi-tech
companies. Many of them are subcontractors
for STX’s shipyards, but they also have
individual know-how in specialised fields
within the maritime sector.
For instance, quite recently – on
21 January – the propeller manufacturing
company Steerprop Oy in Rauma received
a large order for propulsion equipment
from Russian and Indian shipyards.
These orders alone are valued at a total of
more than 10 million euros.
What’s more, Turku and Rauma shipyards
are by no means the only shipyards
in Finland.
”There is plenty of know-how on the
design and construction of offshore vessels
at Pori shipyard,” notes Mrs. Merja Salmi-
Lindgren, Executive Director for the Finnish
Marine Industries.
”Furthermore, Finnish shipbuilders
are proficient in the field of vessels designed
for use in the arctic environment.”
Not long ago, Technip Offshore Finland’s
shipyard in Mäntyluoto in Pori received
an order for a giant oil platform to
be delivered to the Gulf of Mexico. The
platform is now under construction and
will be completed by the year 2014.
SIGHTS SET ON SUCCESS
According to Salmi-Lindgren, investments
in new offshore vessels are being made
continuously around the world.
”Shipbuilders and other companies
in the Finnish maritime cluster ought to fully
utilise the possibilities of offshore projects.”
The well-known ship engine supplier
Wärtsilä Oy is one of the companies that
up to now have been participating in projects
aiming at the construction of new offshore
vessels.
”Also, the Finnish Funding Agency
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