Finnish Border Guard christens lead ship of new patrol vessel class

The Finnish Border Guard has formally named the lead ship of a new class of two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

The future Karhu is scheduled for delivery in the winter of 2026. Construction of the OPV is being undertaken jointly by Finnish shipyards Meyer Turku and Tyovene and Polish counterpart Baltic Operator in compliance with Bureau Veritas class rules.

The OPV is the first of two improved Turva-class vessels that will replace two earlier patrol ships in the Finnish Border Guard fleet.

The newer border guard patrol vessels will feature a number of improvements over their predecessors. These will include advanced surveillance and data transfer systems, propulsion machinery that will generate fewer emissions, and greater capacity for recovering spilled oil at sea.

The OPVs will also be used for search and rescue missions.

Meyer Turku had earlier said that the improved Turva-class vessels will each have a projected service life of over 25 years.