We all envision a future where our grandchildren can swim in clean waters and breathe clear northern sea air.
The tradition of shipbuilding in Rauma, which dates back to the 16th century, lives on strongly in us today. We combine maritime traditions with sustainable innovations across generations. Founded in 2014 as Finland’s only fully domestically owned shipbuilder on this scale, we create vessels that embody our passion and commitment to preserving the sea’s beauty while connecting worlds for generations to come.
Vision as a starting point
Every shared journey begins with the customer’s vision. During our initial meetings, the dreams entrusted to us feed our imagination and expertise. We are uniquely positioned to meet these aspirations: we have the versatile capabilities to deliver demanding projects, yet we are agile enough to tailor the vessel to the customer’s specific needs.
Our role is to find concrete solutions based on our customers’ wishes. We actively seek a balance between dreams and reality and build ships that meet our customers’ needs, are technically feasible, economically viable, and comply with sustainable development requirements.
This approach continues Rauma’s centuries-old maritime tradition. Just as the master craftsmen before us built the most advanced ships of their time, we create modern, technologically innovative vessels that continue our history and realize our customers’ vision for the future.
We deliver innovative solutions that stand the test of time
A vessel built today must be able to sail the seven seas for decades to come. That’s why the shipbuilder plays a vital role in creating a new, more environmentally friendly generation of ships. This is where our network of partner companies comes into play. We utilise the advanced solutions developed by our partners, making it possible to implement these innovations in practice.
We are an active part of the entire maritime industry’s value chain: in research, planning, building, operating, and maintenance. We believe that to implement sustainable solutions, we need cooperation and discussion across geographical and industry borders.
History
Shipbuilding in Rauma began in the 16th century when local craftsmen established the town’s first shipyard, or “varvi.” During the golden age of sail, Rauma’s shipwrights created Finland’s most impressive sailing fleet of the 19th century. The legendary schooner Uljas, built in 1891, exemplified this proud tradition. This legacy of Uljas continues beneath the Baltic waters off Valkiakari, where the town ceremonially laid it to rest in 1950.
The modern industrial era of Rauma shipbuilding dawned in 1912 when Wuojoki Goods Oy established a sawmill in Rauma. By 1918, the company created a separate mechanical workshop and shipyard division, completing a slipway in 1922. The company became Rauma Wood Oy in 1916, and through a series of mergers in subsequent decades, evolved into Rauma-Repola Oy by 1952.
The post-war period transformed shipbuilding in Rauma. In 1945, the shipyard received its first order for war reparation vessels: six composite-structure barges, and eventually built 57 such vessels. This era witnessed the construction of Nordic’s largest dry dock in 1946, measuring 155 x 22 meters.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, the shipyard flourished, producing numerous tankers and cargo vessels and pioneering the first roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels. By the 1980s, Rauma had established itself as a leader in specialized vessel construction, creating passenger ferries, icebreakers, and research vessels that sailed all the world’s oceans.
The 1990s saw various corporate transformations. Operating as Rauma Yards, Finnyards, Aker Finnyards, and Aker Yards, the shipyard maintained its excellence in specialized vessels. During this period, shipbuilders created next-generation multipurpose icebreakers Fennica, Nordica, and Botnica between 1993 and 1998, along with numerous car and passenger ferries that now connect communities throughout Europe.
From ancient craftsmen to today’s shipbuilding engineers, we have answered the sea’s call through changing demand and times.
Rauma Marine Constructions Today
Today, we operate at Seaside Industry Park in Rauma alongside numerous maritime industry leaders. Our Finnish ownership ensures agile decision-making while fostering innovative solutions that serve domestic and international clients across diverse maritime environments.
Our award-winning vessels testify to the sophistication of our processes, but our real treasures are the exceptional professionals whose friendship and expertise bring our vessels to life.
Our expertise reflects our Nordic environment. Our surrounding waters freeze each winter, cultivating our specialized knowledge in ice-capable vessels that serve diverse needs.
As proof of this, we are currently building the next generation of multi-purpose corvettes for the Finnish Navy, which are unique in terms of their performance and capabilities and can also operate in ice conditions. These vessels will secure our country’s vital sea routes for decades to come.
We approach this responsibility with both professional pride and deep national commitment.
At the same time, our award-winning vessels, such as Aurora Botnia, demonstrate our commitment to sustainable shipbuilding that protects our precious waters.
Our expertise extends globally, as evidenced by our work on the Spirit of Tasmania vessels, which is the largest-ever trade deal between Finland and Australia.
These specialized ships, designed for the challenging Bass Strait crossing, showcase our ability to meet the most demanding open-sea conditions worldwide.
From ancient craftsmen to today’s precision engineers, we have answered the sea’s call through changing times. At Rauma Marine Constructions, we continue this voyage, honoring our past by building vessels that will carry us all into a sustainable future.
We offer unique opportunities
Working at RMC does not mean just building ships from the ground up. RMC employs professionals who work in interior and electrical wiring design, IT, data analytics, economics, and sales, for example.
We are an organisation of 300 experts. We lead dozens of network partner companies in the process of designing and constructing ships. The result is a range of modern vessels that cannot be created anywhere else.
