Finnish Navy to receive patrol vessel Tursas from the Border Guard

Offshore patrol craft Tursas will be handed over to the Defence Forces by the Border Guard as part of new Turva-class offshore patrol vessels being introduced into service.

The Finnish Navy will receive Tursas on 2 March 2026. The vessel will be relocated to the Coastal Fleet’s Pansio Base in Turku. Tursas will complement the capabilities of the Navy’s current replenishment and support vessels and replace old capabilities to be decommissioned. The tasks of replenishment and service vessels in the Navy include, for example, transporting food, fuel and combat materiel to units according to need. The vessels also operate as support vessels for divers. 

The Coastal Fleet will use Tursas as a replenishment and support ship, and for measuring and test activities. The vessel’s capabilities, including its towing and ice breaking capability, are ready to be used.  

- Tursas is in good condition for its intended use. Any additional equipment and expansion of its scope of operations will be examined following the commissioning of the vessel. Chief of Staff of the Coastal Fleet, Commander Toni Joutsia says.

Providing executive assistance to other authorities is a statutory task of the Navy, and close cooperation is conducted between different authorities. Just like other vessels, Tursas is bound to be used for support missions at sea, if necessary. 
 

Picture: The Border Guard