OPV 1 and 2 (Meyer)

The Finnish Border Guard has ordered two multi-purpose Turva-class offshore patrol ships from Meyer Turku. The first of these, Karhu, is scheduled for delivery in 2026. The ships will operate at sea for around 330 days per year.

In addition to maintaining border security, they will be used for search and rescue operations, oil spill response, and the monitoring of fishing and maritime traffic in all Baltic Sea conditions. The ships can operate on liquefied natural gas, biogas, or diesel.

As the project lead, Meyer Turku is responsible for system design and equipment procurement. Planneri Group has made a significant contribution to the ships’ machinery design, including system design for propulsion machinery, engines, and power generation systems.

“The project started in autumn 2022. At that stage, a large number of our designers were involved in system design. Later, we have also worked on updating diagrams. Design changes arise throughout the project from the client, production, and the ship classification society,” says Project Manager Petteri Vähätupa.

Machinery project coordinator Reijo Lehtola and several of Planneri Group’s system designers were already involved in the design of the first Turva-class offshore patrol ship, Turva, which was delivered from the Rauma shipyard in 2014.

The new OPV ships are similar in size and performance, but the technical machinery solutions have been significantly improved. During the project, Planneri Group has also benefited from the extensive experience and perspectives of the Finnish Border Guard’s experts.

Turva was used as a reference in the design, but its machinery systems could not be directly replicated.

“One of the challenges in the design has been the high amount of technology relative to the available space. Many solutions have had to be adapted and reconsidered,” says Vähätupa.

Representatives from Meyer Turku, the Finnish Border Guard, and Planneri Group have held joint meetings throughout the project.

“We’ve gained a lot of valuable learning. This is a good model for working. Designers get to discuss and agree on solutions together with the end client and the shipyard,” says Lehtola.