Davie Acquires Finnish Steel Firm to Boost Icebreaker Production

Canada-based shipbuilder Davie has announced today an agreement to acquire Enersense Offshore Oy, a specialized steel and fabrication operation based in Pori, Finland. The acquisition will make Davie’s Helsinki Shipyard Finland’s only specialized shipbuilder with fully integrated capabilities from design to delivery.

The strategic move significantly enhances Helsinki Shipyard’s ability to build multiple special-purpose vessels simultaneously with market-leading delivery times. The steel production facilities in Mäntyluoto will support shipbuilding projects for both Davie and Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and North America.

“This deal will reinforce our own competitiveness and Finnish shipbuilding as a whole by securing the supply of steel for many critical projects. Most importantly, we’re securing the future of a highly skilled workforce and delivering more stability for customers and partners,” said James Davies, CEO of Davie.

The acquisition is expected to boost employment in both Pori and Helsinki while benefiting the entire Finnish maritime cluster. The transaction remains subject to closing conditions and is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2025.

“The Enersense Marine and Offshore Unit possesses unique expertise in steel production for the Arctic marine industry, making Helsinki Shipyard an integrated shipbuilder,” said Kim Salmi, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard. “The block production for the first vessel under our Polar Max concept begins as soon as possible.”

Enersense’s team will remain in place under the new ownership.

“We are delighted that, after patiently conducting the strategic assessment over the past year, we have found the best possible home for the Marine and Offshore Unit,” commented Enersense’s CEO Kari Sundbäck. “The unique expertise of our personnel in Mäntyluoto can further flourish with Davie, a significant shipbuilder.”

The acquisition follows Helsinki Shipyard’s March 2025 agreement with the Canadian government to construct the hull of a heavy icebreaker based on the shipyard’s build-ready Polar Max concept. Steel production for the project will begin in Pori as soon as possible, with construction work commencing at Helsinki Shipyard in August.

The move comes amid Davie’s broader expansion, including plans to acquire shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas. This expansion aligns with the ICE Pact, a trilateral agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland established in July 2024, aimed at enhancing polar icebreaker production. The company will be competing in the expansion of the Coast Guard’s Arctic icebreaker fleet. President Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which he signed on July 4th, provides nearly $9 billion for the expansion of the Coast Guard’s Arctic icebreaker fleet—including $4.3 billion for Polar Security Cutters and $3.5 billion for medium-sized polar icebreakers, also known as Arctic Security Cutters. 

Davie acquired Helsinki Shipyard in 2023, gaining significant expertise in icebreaker construction. The Finnish facility has contributed to more than half of the global icebreaker fleet, complementing Davie’s Canadian operations, which have produced over 720 specialized vessels since 1825.

Davie was named the third official partner to Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy in April 2023, joining Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in Nova Scotia and Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver, British Columbia. Davie’s initial CAD $8.5 billion package of work includes seven heavy icebreakers and two large hybrid-powered ferries.

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