Germany orders new transfer vessel from Finnish-SME

The German government has signed a contract with Finnish shipyard Työvene for a personnel transfer vessel to support naval operations in the Baltic Sea.  

Announced on 19 March by the company, the order centres on Työvene’s Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) vessel. The design was developed with UK-based Ad Hoc Marine Designs and has previously been primarily marketed to the commercial sector. 

According to the company the value of the order has not been disclosed for security reasons, but the vessel will be built at Työvene’s shipyard in Uusikaupunki, Finland, and is scheduled for delivery in 2026.  

Työvene is a Finnish shipbuilding SME that has previously supplied the Finnish Navy with minelayers, icebreakers and patrol vessels. They are a part of Summa Defence PLC, a Finnish defence and security group focused creating a ‘strong industrial foundation’ of defence and dual-use SMEs. 

Its adoption by the German Navy will see the SWATH concept applied in a new operational context and marks a first for the vessel in the defence sector. 

Naval operations  

Once in service, the 29.6m vessel will be based in Neustadt, Germany, transferring personnel from the naval harbour to larger ships operating in the Baltic Sea.  

Designed to accommodate up to 60 people, it can also support ship-to-ship transfer operations at sea, expanding its flexibility in naval logistics. 

Nils Olschner, Director of Sales & Business Development at Työvene, told DSEI Gateway that the vessel design may also support future military drone operations thanks to its “superior seakeeping”.  

According to Olschner, the platform is cheaper and easier to operate than comparable vessels, requiring a smaller crew while offering similar stability. 

Maritime business opportunities 

While the company’s share of orders between the commercial and defence sectors varies, they see promising potential in both markets. Työvene hopes to see additional orders from other countries as interest in the SWATH concept grows. 

Looking ahead, Olschner stated that the company is open to supplying other NATO nations with the design. “We are open to delivering to any NATO country, and we see rising interest in advanced vessel technologies such as SWATH,” he said.