Arctech Helsinki Shipyard was a Finnish shipbuilding company that focused primarily on icebreakers and other icegoing vessels for arctic conditions.
Between 2011 and 2019, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard built a total of 10 icebreaking vessels (yard numbers 506 through 515) at the Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki, Finland. Due to the economic sanctions against its Russian owner, the company was forced to transfer its shipbuilding business in Finland to a successor company, Helsinki Shipyard, which was then sold to a private Russian owner.
History
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard was established as a joint venture between STX Finland, a subsidiary of STX Europe, and the Russian state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The new shipbuilding company started its operations at the Hietalahti shipyard on 1 April 2011. On 28 October 2013, it was reported that USC was going to buy the remaining shares from STX Europe and become the sole owner of the company.STX myy helsinkiläistelakan venäläisomistajalle. YLE, 28 October 2013. Buying the world’s best icebreaker builders. Barents Observer, 28 October 2013. The sale was finalized on 30 December 2014 and the United Shipbuilding Corporation has been the sole owner of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard since the beginning of 2015.Arctech Helsinki Shipyard to Russian Ownership . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 30 December 2014.
The Russian ownership has resulted in some issues due to the economic sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States as a response to the Russian involvement in the unrest in Ukraine. In August 2014, the Nordic-based bank Nordea announced that it would terminate Arctech's accounts due to the financial sanctions imposed by the United States, forcing the shipyard to switch to another bank.Nordea irtisanoo Arctechin tilit Venäjä-pakotteiden vuoksi. YLE, 13 August 2014.
In early 2018, it was reported that the United Shipbuilding Corporation was looking for a new majority owner for Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in order to circumvent the sanctions. The Finnish shipyard, which had not received any new orders since 2016, had become an economic burden for the Russian owner with cumulative loss of 156 million euro in 2011–2015 after which the company stopped reporting its economic situation. Initially, it was reported that the Croatian investment corporation KERMAS Group would purchase a 55 percent share of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard with the USC remaining as a minority shareholder.Ostohuhujen keskellä olevalla Helsingin telakalla valtavat tappiot - TE: "Miksi Kermas haluaisi ostaa telakan?". Kauppalehti, 22 January 2018. Potential new owner of Helsinki Shipyard faces second criminal probe. YLE, 22 January 2018.. World Maritime News, 13 February 2018. However, in September 2018 the president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Aleksey Rakhmanov, stated that the company was instead negotiating the sale of the whole shipyard with three parties: a group of Norwegian companies, an unnamed Russian businessman, and the KERMAS Group which had previously declined partial ownership.Helsingin telakka myyntiin vuoden loppuun mennessä. YLE, 14 September 2018. In October 2018, it was announced that the shipyard would be sold to the owners of Nevsky Shipyard and, in addition to cash, the sale would include transferring the privately owned Saint Petersburg-based shipyard to the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation.Helsingin telakka menossa venäläissijoittajille. Kauppalehti, 1 November 2018. PRESS: USC may swap Finland’s Arctech for Nevsky Shipyard, cash. PRIME, 31 October 2018. While the initial deal fell through at the very last moment reportedly due to lack of approval from the Russian authorities,ОСК задержится в Финляндии: госкорпорация осталась с верфью в Хельсинки, но без «Невского CCЗ». Fontanka.ru, 16 January 2019. the sale was finally authorized by the Russian government in April 2019.Arctech Shipyardin uusi toimitusjohtaja: Helsingin telakan myynti toteutuu kevääseen mennessä. YLE, 22 January 2019.
On 15 May 2019, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard officially announced the change of ownership of the shipbuilding activities in Finland by the end of the month. In preparation of the transaction, a new shipbuilding company Helsinki Shipyard was established to take over the assets and operations at Hietalahti Shipyard. It was then sold to Algador Holdings, a private Russian company owned by Rishat Bagautdinov ja Vladimir Kasyanenko, while Arctech would remain as a fully owned subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation and continue shipbuilding operations in Russia as a shareholder of the Nevsky Shipyard. Victor Olerskiy, the former deputy Russian transport minister and the former head of Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transportation, was appointed as the chairman of the board of the new company. The transaction, which included 35 million euro and 49.99% ownership of Nevsky Shipyard, was finalized on 20 May. In September 2024, The Moscow Court of Arbitration suspended Arctech's corporate rights in relation to Nevsky Shipyard following a request from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Orders
On 16 December 2010, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard received its first order when a contract for two icebreaking platform supply vessels similar to the SCF Sakhalin, worth US$100 million per ship, was signed with Sovcomflot. The vessels, Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov, were delivered in December 2012 and April 2013, respectively.
On 8 December 2011, it was announced that Arctech Helsinki Shipyard had signed a contract together with Shipyard Yantar JSC from Yantar, Kaliningrad, for the construction of a 76 million euro icebreaking multipurpose emergency and rescue vessel for the Russian Ministry of Transport. The so-called "oblique icebreaker" would feature an asymmetric hull designed to break a channel in level ice when operating sideways. Initially, the hull was to be built at Yantar and then towed to Helsinki for outfitting, but in the end the hull was assembled in Helsinki from blocks manufactured in Kaliningrad.2013-04-09 Arctech NB-508. The vessel was launched on 12 December 2013 and given the name Baltika. After sea trials, the icebreaker was towed to Kaliningrad where she was to be handed over to the owner.Arctech Helsinki Shipyard to build an Innovative Multipurpose Emergency and Rescue Vessel for Russian Ministry of Transport. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 8 December 2011. However, Baltika was later towed to Saint Petersburg where she was delivered to Rosmorrechflot on 30 December 2014.Flag of Russia hoisted on board oblique icebreaker Baltika in Saint-Petersburg (photo). Portnews.ru, 20 February 2015.
On 19 December 2012, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard received an order from the Russian Ministry of Transport for an 18-megawatt icebreaker capable of breaking ice up to thick. The newbuilding, a Project 21900M icebreaker worth about 100 million euro, would be built in co-operation with the Vyborg Shipyard which was building two similar ships in Russia. The new icebreaker, Murmansk, was launched in March 2015.Arctech Helsinki Shipyardille 16 MW jäänmurtajatilaus Venäjän liikenneministeriöltä . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 19 December 2012. While the vessel was to be delivered to the owner in August of the same year, the delivery was delayed until December. On 18 December, Murmansk was towed to Vyborg Shipyard where it would be delivered to the owner before the year's end.Icebreaker Murmansk delivered at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 18 December 2015. The icebreaker was handed over to Rosmorport after a flag-raising ceremony on 25 December 2015.На Выборгском судзаводе подписан акт приема-передачи ледокола «Мурманск» (фото). PortNews, 25 December 2015.
On 27 November 2013, the Finnish Transport Agency announced that Arctech Helsinki Shipyard had won the tender for the next Finnish state-owned icebreaker and that the final order for the 123 million euro vessel would be signed before the end of the year.Helsingissä rakennetaan uusi jäänmurtaja. YLE, 27 November 2013. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard won the tender of the new icebreaker for the Finnish Government . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 27 November 2013. However, on 29 November the Finnish Transport Agency cancelled the contract, citing issues with guaranties offered by the shipyard.Jäänmurtajan hankintapäätös kumotaan. YLE, 29 November 2013. On 22 January 2014, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard won the second round of the tendering process and the final contract was signed on 14 February. The 19-megawatt vessel, the most powerful icebreaker ever to fly the Finnish flag, would be powered by dual-fuel engines running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to break ice in a continuous motion. The vessel, based on Aker Arctic's Aker ARC 130 concept, was initially scheduled for delivery during the winter of 2016.Arctech to build the new icebreaker for the Finnish Transport Agency . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 22 January 2014. On 11 December 2015, the new icebreaker was named Polaris.Finland’s new icebreaker Polaris named at Helsinki Shipyard. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 11 December 2015. She was floated out from the covered dry dock and into the outfitting quay on 3 January 2016Polaris moved to the outfitting quay . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 3 January 2016. and delivered on 28 September.The world´s first LNG-powered icebreaker Polaris delivered . Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 28 September 2016.
On 21 April 2014, Sovcomflot ordered an icebreaking platform supply vessel from Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. The 100 million euro vessel, which was initially scheduled to be delivered in June 2016, would be a further development of the two similar vessels delivered in 2012 and 2013. While the propulsion power and icebreaking capability would remain the same, the number of main engines was increased from four to six and the vessel would be been fitted with a moon pool. The vessel would be chartered to Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC).Arctech to Build an Icebreaking Supply Vessel for Sovcomflot. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 21 April 2014. Steel production began at Vyborg Shipyard, which would produce the hull blocks for the vessel, on 26 November 2014.Arctech Helsinki Shipyard started production of the New Icebreaking Multipurpose Supply Vessel. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 26 November 2014. The keel of the vessel, Gennadiy Nevelskoy, was laid on 17 December 2015.Arctech lays the keel for the new icebreaking offshore vessel – the first in a series of four vessels. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 17 December 2015. On 30 June, the vessel was floated out in order to make space for laying the keel of the next vessel.Icebreaking Multipurpose Supply Vessel launched at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. PortNews.ru, 30 June 2016. The vessel was delivered on 3 March 2017, slightly behind schedule.Sovcomflot to take delivery of 4 supply vessels from Arctech Helsinki Shipyard this year (photo). PortNews, 10 February 2017. New navigator to explore the subarctic waters: The Icebreaking Supply Vessel Gennadiy Nevelskoy delivered at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, 3 March 2017.