Atlas completes mid-life refit for Finland’s Pansio-class ships

Atlas Elektronik Finland has successfully completed a mid-life upgrade programme for three Pansio-class inshore minelayers used by the Finnish Navy.

The completion of the overhaul project was marked by the delivery of the third and final upgraded vessel, Pyhäranta, to the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command.

The class’s flagship vessel, Pansio, was previously delivered by the company in October last year, while the second upgraded ship, Porkkala, was handed over in May.

Atlas Elektronik received the prime contractor award for the mid-life upgrade programme of the three Pansio-class minelayers in May 2015.

Atlas Elektronik Finland chief executive officer Jaakko Savisaari said: “All ships were delivered on schedule and all the customer requirements were fulfilled.

“The success of this project has been achieved by the professionalism and expertise, the good cooperation, trust and transparency of the whole team.”

The refit initiative saw the replacement of all of the ships’ systems, as well as the installation of a number of new systems on-board.

In addition, the vessels’ minelaying and maritime transport capacity was maintained, while support ship functions were developed during the mid-life modernisation programme.

The vessels will now be capable of serving the Finnish Navy up to the 2030s as a result of the overhaul.

The Pansio-class inshore minelayers were originally delivered to the navy in the early 1990s.

Work under the refit project was carried out at the Uudenkaupungin Työvene, shipyard by a cooperative team that comprised Atlas Elektronik Finland, the shipyard, system suppliers and sub-contractors, as well as various customer and end-user representatives.