Wärtsilä secures lifecycle agreement for Finnish Border Guard vessels

May 20, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has signed a 10-year lifecycle agreement with the Finnish Border Guard to support the operational readiness and maintenance of the agency’s offshore patrol vessel fleet in the Baltic Sea.

The agreement extends Wärtsilä’s existing support coverage for the patrol vessel Turva and will also include two new vessels, Karhu and MT1407, which are expected to enter service in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

To remind, Karhu, which was built by Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku, was christened last year.

Finnish Border Guard’s new offshore patrol vessel christened

Vessels

Under the agreement, Wärtsilä will supply scheduled spare parts and provide operational support services, including technical guidance aimed at helping crews address issues quickly and reduce operational disruptions.

The company will also assign a dedicated contract manager responsible for overseeing maintenance coordination and planning activities across the supported vessels.

Operating in one of the world’s busiest maritime regions, the Finnish Border Guard maintains continuous readiness for border security, maritime safety and emergency response missions.

Reliable vessel availability and efficient onboard systems are considered essential for sustaining these operations in the Baltic Sea environment.

According to Wärtsilä, the agreement is intended to support engine performance optimisation, improve operational reliability and safety, and help reduce fuel consumption and emissions through proactive maintenance management.

“By optimising engine performance and maintenance, our agreements help customers enhance operational efficiency, reliability and safety, while also reducing fuel consumption and emissions for improved sustainability,” said Henrik Wilhelms, Director, Agreement Sales at Wärtsilä Marine.

The Finnish Border Guard’s operational capability in the open sea is, for a significant part, based on continuous operation and preparedness of the multifunctional offshore patrol vessels. The new low-emission and energy-efficient offshore patrol vessels will be at sea for approximately 330 days of the year.