Vuosaari shipyard was a shipyard located in the district of Vuosaari in Helsinki, Finland. Built by the Finnish state-owned company Valmet Oy in the 1970s, the shipyard delivered 33 newbuildings and participated in building around 100 other vessels before it was closed in 1987. The facilities were used by various ship repair companies the construction of the new Vuosaari harbour cut the connection to the sea in 2004. Despite various plans to re-use the old dry dock, now located inside the harbour perimeter, it remains without use as of 2011[update].
When the Finnish state-owned heavy industry conglomerate Valmet Oy was founded in 1951, it acquired several shipyards in Helsinki, Turku and Uusikaupunki. While in 1963 a decision was made to switch focus on repairing existing ships and maintain only limited newbuilding capability on a single shipyard, the new director changed this as the demand for new ships increased considerably in the mid-1960s.[1]
The Vuosaari shipyard was built in 1971–1974 to replace the old shipyards in Katajanokka and Suomenlinna. It was 380 metres (1,247 ft) long, 56 metres (184 ft) wide, 9.5 metres (31 ft) deep and equipped with four 150-ton cranes. The shipyard also had two floating docks of 5,000 and 12,000 tons for maintenance and repair docking of smaller vessels. In 1984 an intermediate gate was built so that part of the shipyard could be flooded while the other part was used for docking.
Between 1974 and 1987 Vuosaari shipyard delivered 33 new ships and participated in building around 100 other vessels. These include four 153,000 DWT crude oil tankers for Norwegian shipping company Klaveness in 1977–1979, ten SA-15 and SA-15 Super class Arctic cargo ships for the Soviet Union in 1983–1987 and the first large cruiseferry, Birka Princess for Birka Line, in 1986. The majority of the newbuildings were built for the Soviet Union. The last newbuilding was barge Espa for ESL Shipping.[1]
Vuosaari shipyard was merged with Wärtsilä in 1986, forming Wärtsilä Meriteollisuus Oy, which decided to close the shipyard on 13 January 1987 and move the shipbuilding to Helsinki New Shipyard in Hietalahti.
In 1987–1991 various shipping companies rented the old shipyard from Wärtsilä for routine dockings. The cranes were sold in 1991, two to Germany and two to Rauma shipyard. Several ship repair companies operated in and around the old dry dock until 2004 when the construction of the new harbour cut the connection to the sea.[1] The intermediate gate was later scrapped and its steel plating was reused in a barge.
Currently the dry dock is empty and unused, and while several ideas have been presented, nothing significant has been realized. In 2008 there were plans to use the basin as a storage for empty shipping containers, and for this purpose the floor and walls were strengthened with concrete and a new wall was built in front of the old steel gate.[2] However, as of 2011[update] the dry dock remains without use.
Between 1974 and 1987 the following vessels were delivered from the Vuosaari shipyard with the exception of one crude oil tanker that received a yard number but was later cancelled. As of December 2011[update] less than half of the newbuildings built at Vuosaari remain in service.
| Ship name(s) | DWT | Year | Type (as built) | Yard number | IMO number | Status (10/2011) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnitogorsk (1976–1996) Euroshipping Two (1996–1997) Daisy (1997–2000) Rosanne (2000–2004) Rosario (2004–2006) Naesborg (2006–2011) |
22,690 | 1976 | Ro-ro | 282 | 7359553 | Scrapped in 2011 | Sister ships: Komsomolsk, Anatoliy Vasilyev and Smolensk. | [3] |
| Komsomolsk (1976–1995) Kotlini (1995–1997) Nicole (1997–2000) Roxanne (2000–2006) Nordborg (2006–2009) |
22,690 | 1976 | Ro-ro | 283 | 7359565 | Scrapped in 2009 | [4] | |
| Tebostar (1974–1994) Azerot (1994–2003) B.F.C.-I (2003) Delta I (2003–2004) |
6,060 | 1974 | Product tanker | 284 | 7359577 | Scrapped in 2004 | The last ship launched from Katajanokka shipyard and the first ship delivered from Vuosaari shipyard. Broke in two after collision with container ship APL Pusan on 13 September 2004. Towed to Sachana, India, for scrapping. | [5][6] |
| Sommerstad (1977–1983) Tornado (1983) Goktürk (1983–1996) Eliki (1996–2001) |
153,200 | 1977 | Crude oil tanker | 285 | 7359589 | Scrapped in 2001 | Sister ships: Solstad, Sangstad, Siljestad and a cancelled fifth tanker. | [7][8] |
| Solstad (1977–1983) Buyuk Hun (1983–1984) |
153,200 | 1977 | Crude oil tanker | 286 | — | Scrapped in 1986 | Attacked by Iraqi fighters on 3 June 1984 while underway in ballast from Tutunciftlik, Turkey to Kharg Island, Iran. Two Exocet missiles hit the superstructure and the engine room, starting a fire, killing three crew members and injuring two. Later towed to Bushir, Iran, where declared total loss and sold to Taiwanese breakers in 1986. | [9] |
| Sangstad (1978-1983) Altano (1983–1984) Avar (1984–1998) Ava (1998–1999) Eagle (1999–2003) |
153,200 | 1978 | Crude oil tanker | 287 | 7359606 | Scrapped in 2003 | [10][11] | |
| Siljestad (1978–1983) Caldereta (1983-1984) Buyuk Timur (1984–1995) Westgate (1995–1996) Enalios Thetis (1996–2001) Glory Sea (2001–2003) |
153,200 | 1978 | Crude oil tanker | 288 | 7359618 | Scrapped in 2003 | [12][13] | |
| NB Westfal-Larsen | 153,200 | — | Crude oil tanker | 289 | — | Cancelled | ||
| Yulius Fuchik (1978–1998) Production driller (1998–2002) Asian Alliance (2002–2003) Alliance (2003) |
37,850 | 1978 | Barge carrier | 290 | 7505322 | Scrapped in 2003 | Featured in the novel Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Sister ship: Tibor Szamueli. | [14] |
| Tibor Szamueli (1979–1998) Development driller (1998–2002) Asian Reliance (2002–2003) Reliance (2003) C Reliance (2003) |
37,850 | 1979 | Barge carrier | 291 | 7505334 | Scrapped in 2003 | [15] | |
| Sibirskiy-2101 | 3,162 | 1980 | Dry cargo ship | 292 | 8862284 | In service | "Project 292" dry cargo river/sea ships built by Valmet for the Soviet Union, named Sibriskiy-2101–2109 and 2120–2129. | [16] |
| Sibirskiy-2103 | 3,162 | 1980 | Dry cargo ship | 293 | 7801855 | In service | [17] | |
| Sibirskiy-2105 (1980–2002) Kapitan Orlov (2002–) |
3,162 | 1980 | Dry cargo ship | 294 | 7801879 | In service | [18] | |
| Sibirskiy-2107 (1980–2000) Kapitan Pashnin (2000–) |
3,162 | 1980 | Dry cargo ship | 295 | 7801893 | In service | [19] | |
| Tebo Olympia (1980–2005) Angeles B (2005–2011) |
11,474 | 1980 | Product tanker | 296 | 7813327 | Scrapped in 2011 | [20] | |
| Järvsaar | 60 | 1979 | Winter trawler | 297 | — | — | ||
| L-915 (1979–??) Kupeli |
— | 1979 | Tugboat | 298 | — | In service | ||
| Hankoniemi Hirsala Houtskär |
— | 1980 | Transport boat | 299 300 301 |
— | Decommissioned In service In service |
Three Hauki class transport boats for the Finnish Navy. Constructed in Kotka but delivered from the Vuosaari shipyard. In 2007 Hankoniemi was decommissioned and sold to reservist organization. | [21] |
| Ahven 1 Ahven 2 Ahven 3 Ahven 4 Ahven 5 Ahven 6 |
— | 1979 | Training boat | 302 | — | Decommissioned | Six training and work boats for the Finnish Navy. Constructed in Kotka but delivered from the Vuosaari shipyard. Decommissioned and sold to civilians in the 2000s. | |
| Julanta (FIN-137-U) (1979–2005) | 60 | 1979 | Winter trawler | 303 | — | Scrapped in 2005 | [22] | |
| Anatoliy Vasilyev (1981–1997) Katsina (1997–1999) Jolly Celeste (1999–2000) Laura Delmas (2000–2002) Repubblica de La Boca (2002) Laura (2002–2004) Nds Prospector (2004–2008) Niledutch Prospector (2008–2010) Spector (2010) |
22,447 | 1981 | Ro-ro | 304 | 7910656 | Scrapped in 2010 | [23][24] | |
| Smolensk (1981–1995) Euroshipping Three (1995–1996) Alyona (1996–2010) |
22,447 | 1981 | Ro-ro | 305 | 7910668 | Scrapped in 2010 | [25] | |
| Vikla (1982–2004) Vikland (2004–2007) Lister (2007–) |
8,288 | 1982 | Product tanker | 306 | 7924176 | Unknown | Sold to an undisclosed buyer in auction after a 76-day detention in Gibraltar in 2009. Classification withdrawn by Det Norske Veritas in 2009. | [26][27] |
| Shelltrans (1982–1994) Acila (1994–1999) Bacalan (1999–2001) Vega Desgagnés (2001–) |
11,548 | 1982 | Product tanker | 307 | 7927960 | In service | [28] | |
| Arctic Scan (1982–1983) Melkki (1983–2004) Sinimeri (2004–2005) Aegean Pride I (2005–2010) Pride (2010) |
11,538 | 1982 | Product tanker | 308 | 8027195 | Scrapped in 2010 | [29] | |
| Polar Scan (1982–1983) Rankki (1983–2000) Omega af Donsö (2000–2006) Kingston (2006–) |
11,538 | 1982 | Product tanker | 309 | 8027200 | In service | [30] | |
| Nizhneyansk (1983–1996) Magdalena Oldendorff (1996–2003) Ocean Luck (2003–2010) Captain Kurbatskiy (2010–2011) |
20,000 | 1983 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 310 | 8013065 | Scrapped in 2011 | SA-15 class arctic cargo ship. Sister ships: Okha, Bratsk, Kemerovo and Anadyry. | [31] |
| Okha (1983–1995) Speybank (1995–2006) Mahinabank (2006–2009) |
20,000 | 1983 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 311 | 8013077 | Scrapped in 2009 | [32] | |
| Bratsk (1983–1995) Arunbank (1995–2006) Tikeibank (2006–2009) |
20,000 | 1983 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 312 | 8013089 | Scrapped in 2009 | [33] | |
| Rossvik | 60 | 1981 | Trawler | 313 | — | — | Constructed in Kotka but delivered from the Vuosaari shipyard. | |
| Boris Polevoy (1984–2000) Smit Express (2000–2002) Midnight Express (2002–2006) Express (2006–) |
8,770 | 1984 | Barge carrier | 314 | 8116049 | In service | Converted to a pipe-laying ship in 2002. Sister ship: Pavel Antokolskiy. | [34] |
| Pavel Antokolskiy (1984–1999) Smit Explorer (1999–2003) Explorer (2003–2011) Karadeniz Powership Zeynep Sultan (2011–) |
8,770 | 1984 | Barge carrier | 315 | 8116051 | In service | Converted to floating power station in 2011. | [35] |
| Kemerovo (1983–2000) Marathon II (2000–2005) Professor Barabanov (2005–) |
20,000 | 1983 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 316 | 8120662 | In service | [36] | |
| Anadyry (1984–2000) Emerald Sea (2000–2011) |
20,000 | 1984 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 317 | 8120674 | Scrapped in 2011 | [37] | |
| Anatoliy Kolesnichenko | 19,500 | 1985 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 318 | 8406688 | In service | SA-15 Super class arctic cargo ship. Sister ships: Kapitan Man, Yuriy Arshenevskiy, Vasiliy Burkhanov and Kapitan Danilkin. | [38] |
| Kapitan Man | 19,500 | 1985 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 319 | 8406690 | In service | [39] | |
| Yuriy Arshenevskiy | 19,500 | 1986 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 320 | 8406705 | In service | [40] | |
| Birka Princess (1986–2006) Sea Diamond (2006–2007) |
2,441 | 1986 | Cruiseferry | 321 | 8406731 | Sank in 2007 | Sank on 5 April 2007 after running aground near the Greek island of Santorini on the previous day. Two French passengers remain missing. | [41] |
| Vasiliy Burkhanov | 19,500 | 1986 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 322 | 8406717 | In service | [42] | |
| Kapitan Danilkin | 19,500 | 1987 | Ro-ro/General cargo | 323 | 8406729 | In service | [43] | |
| Espa | 8,540 | 1987 | Barge | 324 | — | In service | Last newbuilding from the Vuosaari shipyard. | [44] |