The Finnish Border Guard officially named Valpas, the second of its two new Meyer Turku-built multipurpose offshore patrol vessels (OPV) at the Uusikaupunki shipyard in Finland on Friday, October 30.
The Finnish Border Guard said Valpas will be completed by the end of 2027, while lead ship Karhu will be completed in summer 2027.
Meyer Turku's original contractual schedule, published when the lead vessel's keel was laid in March 2024, called for completion of the first ship at the end of 2025 and the second at the end of 2026.
At the time of Karhu's christening in August 2025, the shipbuilder said delivery would take place in winter 2026.
Border Guard chief Vice Admiral Markku Hassinen said both vessels would enter service during the coming year. He added that the OPV fleet would be modern and harmonised once the operational systems of the existing patrol vessel Turva have also been upgraded.
The order is the largest single investment in the Finnish Border Guard's history, with parliament granting €448 million in procurement authorisation. The vessels are expected to operate at sea for approximately 330 days a year.
