Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has been granted the ISO 14001 (Environmental management) and ISO 45001 (Occupational health and safety) certifications. The achievement is a testament to the company’s emphasis on socially responsible behaviour. RMC considers environmental and occupational health and safety aspects in all its operations and fulfils requirements as set by the standard. In practice, this includes a proactive stance on occupational health and safety measures, as well as on minimising non-recyclable waste. 

On Monday 10 June, 2019, Rauma Marine Constructions received the ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications for the company’s commitment to environmental management and occupational health and safety. RMC was previously granted the ISO 9001:2015 certificate, demonstrating the company’s quality management and quality assurance.

The requirements included in the standard extend to all areas of operations, from vessel design to construction, as well as management and leadership.

“Achieving certifications always requires a great effort and is a noteworthy achievement,” states Janne Hihnala, Lead Welding Auditor, Bureau Veritas.

“These certifications demonstrate that RMC’s operations adhere to a socially responsible standard throughout the entire organisation and tools for the managing and controlling of everyday operations have been created on the basis of the standards,” continues Hihnala.

Pictured from left RMC’s CEO Jyrki Heinimaa, Lead Welding Auditor from Bureau Veritas Janne Hihnala and Jarkko Merilä, QHSE Manager at RMC.

Emphasis on environment and health and safety above all

“In practice, being ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified means that RMC considers the environment along with sustainable development, for example by minimising landfill waste and ensuring safe working conditions together with its partner companies,” says Jarkko Merilä, QHSE Manager, Rauma Marine Constructions.

“In addition to the ISO 14001 standard, RMC also adheres to the environmental requirements set by Rauman Meriteollisuuskiinteistöt Oy (the company that oversees the properties located at the Seaside Industry Park). Furthermore, in addition to the requirements included in the standard, we also assess the environmental risks of our own operations, as well as those of our partner companies which may have an impact on us,” Merilä adds.

Considerable emphasis is also placed on the health and safety of RMC’s personnel, as well as other stakeholders. For example, all visitors are obliged to wear protective equipment around the production area and guided safety tours are carried out together with network partners.

“Ensuring safe working conditions at the shipyard is of utmost importance to RMC. This includes providing safety tours aimed at proactively preventing any accidents and ensuring safe working conditions, along with an ongoing active process to further develop safety measures at the shipyard. We always strive to detect any safety-related issues proactively and avoid accidents altogether. We have drafted an occupational healthcare action plan, along with an occupational safety and health action programme together with personnel representatives, occupational safety representatives and occupational healthcare representatives,” says Merilä.

Aim of continuous improvement

Being granted the certifications also means that the company has a plan to continuously improve operations moving forward. Achieving the ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications was included in the company’s strategy for the year 2019.  RMC was previously granted the ISO 9001:2015 certificate.

“A certified system ensures that a high standard is met concerning our new builds, maintenance and conversion projects, and steel work for our customers. The certifications verify the reliability of our current system. Our customers can be certain that operational environmental risks concerning both the acquisition of equipment and production are minimised and constantly monitored. In addition, the environmental awareness and expertise of our personnel is key to the development work, which is also something we will place great emphasis on in the future,” concludes Merilä.

ISO 14001

• ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system, created by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO).
• It is a tool for the management of environmental issues and a result-oriented development of actions
• The standard is based on the PDCA model (plan, do, check, act), which emphasises the systematic planning of operations, management, measuring and improving. It implements environmental issues to be an integral part of an organisation’s operations and aims to continuously improve operations.

ISO 45001

• ISO 45001 is an International Standard that specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, created by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO).
• It is a tool to improve occupational health and safety, minimise occupational risks and create healthier and safer working conditions.
• The ISO 45001 standard is also based on the PDCA model.

Rauma Marine Constructions has signed an agreement with their partner network for the delivery of a power system for the new Wasaline ferry, set to operate in the Gulf of Bothnia between the city of Vaasa in Finland and city of Umeå in Sweden. The vessel will employ a hybrid power generation system as well as an electric propulsion system rarely used in RoPax ferries, which will improve its environmental efficiency. The systems will be provided by a network of companies operating in the Vaasa area – including ABB, WE Tech, VEO, and Danfoss/Vacon.

The construction agreement for the new, environmentally friendly RoPax ferry was signed between Kvarken Link, owned by the City of Vaasa and the municipality of Umeå, and the Finnish company Rauma Marine Constructions in January. The company has now agreed on the delivery of the power generation system of the vessel, set to operate between the city of Vaasa in Finland and city of Umeå in Sweden, with its partner network. Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions, is happy to see the growth in marine technology in the Rauma area reflecting positively also along the rest of the west coast of Finland.

“A wide network of partners is very important to RMC – we could not operate without it. We are very happy to participate in building this new, environmentally friendly vessel together with our partners in the Vaasa region.”

The new vessel will replace M/S Wasa Express, delivered in 1981, in Wasaline’s service across the Gulf of Bothnia. The vessel will be equipped with an electric propulsion system, designed specifically for vessels with a high ice class. Electric propulsion systems are rare in RoPax ferries, which usually are equipped with propulsion machinery that consist of conventional diesel driven propellers through shaft lines and rudders. The new Wasaline ferry will be equipped with azimuthing propellers of Azipod type. They are rather common in cruise ships and provided by ABB.  Further they enable safer and faster manoeuvering, as well as lower propeller induced vibrations and noise compared to traditional diesel driven propulsion machinery.

Reduced emissions due to new technology

The hybrid power solution for the vessel will be created together with RMC’s technology partner WE Tech Solutions Oy. The electric main switchboards will be provided by VEO, the propulsion drive system with a novel frequency converter solution will be manufactured by Danfoss/Vacon, the energy storage system with Li-Ion battery packages will be provided by Leclanché, and WEG will manufacture the generators. The energy storage system is dimensioned for the vessel’s operation in the harbour without using main engines. This means that the propulsion and the ship’s general power are battery driven. The energy storage system is charged from shore power, which is also used for the vessel’s other power needs during the stay at the harbour. Currently, most vessels use diesel generators during the entire stay at the harbour, which increases harmful emissions.

The power for the propulsors is generated by an integrated system solution, which can utilise the dual-fuel engines or the energy storage system chargeable from shore power. The main source of fuel for the highly efficient dual-fuel engines, provided by Wärtsilä, is liquefied natural gas. They can also run on biogas. This will significantly reduce the vessel’s emissions.

“The vessel’s propulsion solution with battery technology represents the latest design for emission reduction in marine transport. As an example, when the vessel is approaching the harbour, the main engines of the vessel can be switched off and the vessel can operate the remaining distance utilising battery power. This enables the vessel to arrive at the harbour with no further emissions,” explains Peter Ståhlberg, CEO of Wasaline.

The new ferry is scheduled for delivery in April 2021 and it will operate daily between Vaasa and Umeå.

Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) and AS Tallink Grupp have announced that the construction agreement for a new shuttle ferry servicing the Helsinki–Tallinn route will enter into force today. The design of the vessel will begin this spring, with the expected delivery of the vessel in early 2022. The agreement marks RMC’s second car and passenger ferry order this year.

Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), and AS Tallink Grupp, have announced that the construction agreement for the new shuttle ferry, set to operate on the Helsinki–Tallinn route will enter into force today. The parties signed the letter of intent in October 2018.

The ferry is the biggest vessel yet to be built by Rauma Marine Constructions, and is valued at about EUR 250 million. The new shuttle ferry will be approximately 212 metres long and have a gross tonnage of approximately 50,000. It will be able to accommodate 2,800 passengers. The ferry will provide over 1,500 man-years of employment for the shipyard.

The vessel will utilise the newest technology and innovative solutions, with the aim of building the most environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient vessel possible. This includes machines that will run on a dual fuel and option for a battery solution, with the main source of fuel being low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG).

“We are very pleased to have secured this order. The modern and environmentally-friendly vessel supports RMC’s aim to be a leading car and passenger ferry provider. The vessel is set to be delivered to the customer in the beginning of 2022, which means we have work secured at the shipyard for a long time ahead. We are also excited to see Tallink returning to Rauma, where four ferries for Tallink have been built previously”, says Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.

Compared to Tallink’s newest shuttle ferry Megastar, which also operates between Helsinki and Tallinn, the new ferry will have an increased passenger area with more seating, as well as more crew cabins. From a technical standpoint, the ferry will have powerful shore connection equipment and will also be equipped with LNG fuel tanks approximately one third bigger than Megastar. Furthermore, the new enhanced design will allow the ferry’s CO₂ emissions to be reduced by 10 per cent.

“We are pleased to have signed the construction contract with RMC, thus supporting also our regional economies due to the construction taking place in Rauma, and we look forward to starting the shipbuilding process. We are confident the new vessel will enhance our operations on the important Tallinn–Helsinki route even further,” Paavo Nõgene, CEO of AS Tallink Grupp said.

Rauma Marine Constructions is currently also working on another car and passenger ferry. In January, the shipbuilding company signed a construction agreement for a car and passenger ferry servicing the Vaasa–Umeå route, together with Kvarken Link. Due to the growing number of orders, RMC and its network partners need to increase the workforce at the shipyard, with additional recruitments taking place on a continuous basis.

Rauma Marine Constructions and Kvarken Link, who have commissioned the vessel, signed a letter of intent concerning the vessel one week ago (11.1.19). The following construction agreement was reached quickly and both parties thank the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance for enabling the quick execution of the agreement.

Rauma Marine Constructions and Kvarken Link have signed a construction agreement for a car and passenger ferry, set to operate between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå. Following the agreement, the planning of the vessel can begin with immediate effect.

“We reached an agreement in a little over a week after signing the letter of intent. Now begins the real work. We would like to express our appreciation to the ministers and officials at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance, for their role in making this project a reality,” states Jyrki Heinimaa, Chief Executive Officer, RMC.

The ferry will be completed in 2021 and will operate daily between Vaasa and Umeå. Kvarken Link, who have commissioned the vessel, are owned by the city of Umeå and the city of Vaasa, both of whom serve as guarantors of the financing.

The vessel order, with an approximate value of EUR 120 million, will have a positive impact on employment, totaling around 800 person-years. The ferry will accommodate approximately 800 passengers and will have a freight capacity of 1,500 lane meters for lorries. The vessel will be designed to be environmentally friendly, with machinery running on a dual fuel solution: besides liquefied natural gas it can also be operated using biogas. The ferry has an ice class of 1A Super, in order to guarantee that the vessel is able to navigate as independently as possible in the challenging ice conditions that are a feature of the Kvarken region.

During autumn 2018, Rauma Marine Constructions also signed letters of intent regarding both a new ferry for Tallink, to operate the Helsinki-Tallinn route, and four combat vessels, as part of the Squadron2020 project.

Due to the growing number of orders, RMC has increased their workforce at the shipyard. Additional recruitments will take place in the near future.