Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has commenced production of the Finnish Navy’s third multi-purpose corvette under the Squadron 2020 program.
The milestone was marked on August 26 with a traditional steel cutting ceremony at the Rauma shipyard.
With this step, three of the four Pohjanmaa-class corvettes are now in production. RMC said the progress demonstrates both the shipyard’s own capacity and the strength of cooperation with its client, the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command, as well as its subcontractor network.
RMC, together with its subsidiary RMC Defence Oy, is building four high-performance corvettes specifically designed for the demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea, including operations in ice. To meet the program’s requirements, the company has invested heavily in new infrastructure and processes. The corvettes are being built inside a closed facility constructed for the project, which the company said ensures both quality and security in line with NATO standards.
“The shipyard in Rauma has made significant investments, particularly in the 2020s, in the development of its production and the capabilities of the personnel, resulting in the shipyard becoming one of the most notable builders of modern ships designed to operate in challenging conditions and especially government vessels navigating in ice,” said Mika Nieminen, CEO and President of RMC. “We hope to play a strong role with our top-class domestic expertise also in icebreaker procurements in Finland as well as in international inter-government procurement projects. RMC can boast a very high level of capacity and competence.”
The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Finnish Ministry of Defence, the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command, the Finnish Navy, and Lloyd’s Register, along with RMC’s management and personnel.
“The steel cutting of the third multi-purpose corvette is yet another important milestone towards outstanding maritime performance. The learning curve of the various parties in the building of the exceptionally demanding and complex military class vessel has been noteworthy,” said Brigadier General Engineering Juha-Matti Ylitalo, Deputy Manager of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command.
The first vessel of the class was launched in May 2025 and is currently undergoing outfitting. The second entered production in October 2024 and is at the hull assembly stage. The Squadron 2020 project is scheduled for completion in 2029, with an estimated employment impact of more than 3,600 person years in Finland.
RMC highlighted the role of its established network of subcontractors in ensuring smooth execution. “The Rauma Shipyard has an established network of cooperation partners and subcontractors, which is fundamental to the smooth and efficient execution of shipbuilding projects. We constantly review our operations together with our partners and subcontractors to further enhance smooth building project operations,” Nieminen said. “We take pride in our competent personnel and the network of cooperation partners and subcontractors which is an indispensable factor of our success. RMC’s shipbuilding projects in Rauma provide wellbeing to the whole Satakunta region and more widely to Finland.”
The company said its approach combines in-house design, independent steel production, and area-specific shipbuilding teams with a focus on cost and schedule management. The corvettes’ versatility, including their ice-capable design, makes them candidates for export to other navies operating in harsh climates.
In July, RMC announced it had formed a consortium with U.S.-based Bollinger Shipyards, Canadian Seaspan, and Finnish Aker Arctic. The consortium’s goal is to compete for future U.S. icebreaker contracts.
The Pohjanmaa-class program remains Finland’s most ambitious naval project in decades, and the start of construction of the third vessel represents a further step toward strengthening the country’s maritime defense capabilities in the Baltic region.