The cluster of coronavirus cases detected mid-September at Rauma Marine Constructions’ (RMC) shipyard in Rauma has been brought under control. The cluster was detected early on during the company’s own random testing, allowing the containment of the situation in under a month. The Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) has ordered the City of Rauma to conduct mandatory health inspections at the shipyard, the practical implications of which will be clarified in the near future.

The first cases of the September infection cluster at Rauma shipyard were detected through RMC’s own random testing of asymptomatic personnel on 17 September. In cooperation with the infectious disease authorities, RMC immediately extended random testing to those who had been working with the infected parties. Due to the division of the workforce into smaller teams, as outlined in the company’s updated safety plan, these individuals were quickly located.

During the following days, additional cases were reported during testing conducted by RMC, resulting in RMC and the health authorities of the City of Rauma deciding to implement extended additional testing to everyone working on the ship currently under construction. Nearly 1,000 tests were conducted, and part of the personnel were tested twice or more. Fully vaccinated individuals were also tested.

The number of cases at the shipyard started to decline last week, after which RMC has continued the random testing already implemented last spring. The situation has remained calm: no new cases have been reported among some hundred random tests conducted this ongoing week.

During the past week, four new cases have been detected in individuals placed in quarantine. Since 17 September, a total of 217 infections have been reported.

The practical implications of the Regional State Administrative Agency’s order to be clarified in the upcoming days

The Regional State Administrative Agencies have in the past weeks ordered mandatory health inspections for several shipyards. On 13 October, the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland obligated the City of Rauma to conduct mandatory health inspections concerning RMC, the company’s subsidiaries, and subcontractors.

According to AVI, correct measures have already been taken at the Rauma shipyard that have positively impacted the current situation. According to the Regional State Administrative Agency the order is intended to support the positive development.

Ville Laaksonen, Chief Operating Officer at Rauma Marine Constructions, considers the decision from the past week legitimate in the current situation.

”During the past weeks, the coronavirus situation has escalated in several countries, as well as at Finland’s major shipyards. This means that there is a clear need for joint policies. However, we are also pleased that the Regional State Administrative Agency has taken notice of the extensive coronavirus safety measures RMC has already implemented since spring. The measures allowed the coronavirus situation to remain calm for months before this autumn’s cases.”

According to Laaksonen, the exact, practical implications of the order by the Regional State Administrative Agency have not been fully clarified, but the guidelines have been set.

“The Regional State Administrative Agency has issued the order to the City of Rauma, meaning we will continue to advance the matter in close cooperation with them and the health authorities. Among other things, there are plans to further expand testing and require new employees to have received a full series of vaccinations. We will also continue to organise vaccination possibilities at a low-threshold at the shipyard together with the City of Rauma.”

The extended testing efforts for coronavirus detection have been completed at Rauma Marine Constructions’ (RMC) shipyard, following the infection cluster detected this autumn. Four new infections have been reported this week and a total of 213 since 17 September. Next week, RMC will continue the random testing that began last spring. Moreover, other extensive COVID prevention measures will be kept in place.

The number of coronavirus cases is declining at Rauma shipyard as a result of extended testing efforts, which concluded today, 13 October.

RMC and the shipyard’s network companies, along with the health authorities of the City of Rauma, have this week tested approximately 350 individuals who have been working on the ship that is now under construction. Around 430 people were tested last week and around 540 the week before.

Four new infections were reported following this week’s testing. A total of 213 new infections have been reported since 17 September. Very few further infections have been discovered outside the shipyard.

Starting next week, random testing, which was already implemented last spring, will continue at the shipyard in agreement with the local health authorities. In addition, other stricter safety measures will remain in effect.

“We have been conducting random testing at the shipyard since spring, and it is vital to continue doing so, as it was random testing that allowed us to detect the infection cluster at an early stage this autumn. Random testing, additional extensive safety measures and meticulous cooperation with the health authorities of the City of Rauma enabled the containment of the epidemic in under a month,” said Timo Suistio, Rauma Marine Constructions’ Executive Vice President, who is the head of the shipyard’s COVID task force.

Testing, teamwork and masks are the main COVID prevention methods

RMC’s shipyard has implemented extensive safety measures for the prevention of coronavirus infections since the beginning of the pandemic. Following the cluster of cases detected in February, the company has implemented a tightened safety plan.

Workers coming to their shift straight from abroad will be required to show a negative COVID test result taken no more than 72 hours after arrival to Finland. Without a negative test result, entry to the shipyard is denied.

Individuals who show symptoms will be denied entry to the shipyard area and will be directed straight to occupational health care services instead. Weekly random testing will be conducted on shipyard workers who are not showing symptoms. Since spring 2021, over 300 tests have been conducted.

To enable possible early detection, shipyard workers are divided into teams that share accommodation and work, take breaks and commute together. Infected individuals are tested again on the second-to-last day of their quarantine, and returning to work is permitted only after a negative test result.

Masks are required in the ship under construction and other indoor facilities at the shipyard, and their use will be strictly monitored. There are stations for handwashing and sanitizing across the shipyard area.

Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) is building four multipurpose corvettes for the Finnish Defence Forces. For security reasons, the vessels will be constructed in a multipurpose hall, which will be optimised for building government vessels. The contract for the hall’s construction was signed today. Construction work will start in November.

Preparation for the building phase of the Squadron 2020 project is well underway at Rauma shipyard. RMC has today signed an agreement with Finnish construction company SRV on building a multipurpose construction hall at the shipyard.

The contracting parties are SRV and a newly formed real estate company owned by RMC and the City of Rauma. RMC signed the agreement as a representative of the real estate company.

Estimated to cost around EUR 26 million, the project will be carried out through a cooperative project management model. SRV’s share of the cost will be approximately EUR 19 million.

According to Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO and President of RMC, the agreement is an important, tangible step in the joint effort with the Finnish Defence Forces.

“We have already made investments in welding technology to achieve the needed measurement accuracy for the corvettes’ steel work. The multipurpose construction hall is an especially important investment for us because it will allow us to proceed with the construction of the vessels. The new hall will be optimised for the construction of government vessels, which shows our commitment to the Squadron 2020 project. The project is crucial for Finland’s maritime defence and national emergency supply.”

Lari Mallius, Area Director at SRV, is looking forward to collaborating with the shipyard.

“We will bring our own expertise into this project that will advance Finnish shipbuilding greatly. The user requirements regarding the hall’s versatile use in the future and the need for optimising costs will be taken into account already at the construction phase. Close cooperation throughout the project will guarantee a successful outcome.”

The construction of the hall will start already next month, and it will be ready by the end of 2022. Steel production for the Squadron 2020 project will start in 2022, and construction will be moved into the new hall in 2023.

According to current plans, the hall will be around 180 metres long, 40 metres wide and 30 metres tall. Later, it can also be used in the construction of sections for car and passenger ferries.

Following the detection of multiple coronavirus infections at the shipyard some two weeks ago, RMC, the shipyard’s network partner companies and the Rauma health authorities have jointly tested about 430 people this week. The people who were tested have all been working on the ship currently under construction. Last week, approximately 540 people were tested.

A total of 194 cases of COVID-19 have been reported at the shipyard since September 17.

Contact tracers have been unable to reach the contact persons of one network partner company. Therefore, the company has been denied access to the shipyard area for the time being, and the authorities have ordered all employees of the company in quarantine.

Testing will continue next week

As a precaution, testing will continue next Monday and Tuesday. During these days, personnel working on the ship, who are currently not in isolation or quarantine, will be tested. Those who are about to be released from quarantine will be re-tested on the second to last day of quarantine and can return to work after getting a negative test result.

“The cluster of infections was detected during our random testing and caught at an early stage. As a result, we’ve been able us to react quickly, mainly in good cooperation with our network companies and the health authorities. We are ready to continue with the extended testing as long as is required,” said Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO and President of Rauma Marine Constructions.

Urgent call to the authorities: COVID pass needed as soon as possible

A significant proportion of those infected in the September cluster have been unvaccinated. Therefore, RMC will continue to provide easy-access vaccination points at the shipyard in cooperation with the local health authorities.

The company is also considering implementing a model that would require network companies to ensure that their employees working at the shipyard are vaccinated. However, an employer cannot legally require employees to be vaccinated or check their vaccination records, which complicates the enforcement of such a model.

RMC is hoping for a feasible solution from the authorities.

“Current legislation does not allow us to require vaccinations, which is why we are urging the authorities to provide rapid solutions for this difficult situation. Despite very strict security measures, we are facing cases of COVID-19 again. Unfortunately, this is true for many other players as well. One solution which would significantly improve health and safety is a COVID pass that could be checked for each person coming to work. We hope that the authorities will be able to further the implementation of the pass as rapidly as possible,” said Heinimaa.