Introduction & Strategic Context
Helsinki, Finland — In a landmark move that marries maritime heritage with digital innovation, PipeCloud, a Finland-based SaaS platform for pipe prefabrication, has entered into a strategic agreement with Helsinki Shipyard (DNY Finland Oy). This collaboration arrives at an ideal moment, as the shipyard’s operations are in rapid growth and shipbuilding is ramping up under the new ownership of Davie. The trusted tradition of shipbuilding in Helsinki is now combined with new digital capabilities provided by PipeCloud to support current and future icebreaker- and specialized-ship builds.
Why Helsinki Shipyard Matters
Helsinki Shipyard has long been recognized as one of the world’s leading builders of icebreaking vessels. The company reports that around 50 percent of the global icebreaker fleet has been built at its yard in Helsinki, and Finnish expertise accounts for approximately 80 percent of global icebreaker design worldwide. This track record highlights both the technical know-how and global influence concentrated in Finland’s maritime industry.
The shipyard has pioneered several world firsts in icebreaker technology. In 2016, it delivered Polaris, the world’s first LNG-powered icebreaker, setting new standards in both environmental performance and Arctic capability. Two years earlier, in 2014, the yard launched Baltika, the first oblique icebreaker, with an asymmetric hull that enables it to move sideways through ice to cut wider channels. These innovations illustrate why Helsinki Shipyard is regarded as a front-runner in ship design and construction.
How PipeCloud Helps
The complex scale of specialized and icebreaking shipbuilding demands seamless coordination across complex pipe prefabrication processes. PipeCloud provides a modern, digital platform that helps Helsinki Shipyard gain real-time control, improve coordination, and ensure efficiency as production scales up. The system covers the entire pipe prefabrication process and brings together all key functions into one integrated platform, including:
- ERP integration to connect pipe prefabrication directly with existing IT systems
- Advanced spool tracking to monitor every spool across production in real time
- Production visibility that shows progress, workload, and bottlenecks instantly
- Data-driven capacity planning to allocate resources effectively and keep schedules on track
- Subcontractor management to oversee outsourced work with full transparency
- Live factory monitoring for a clear view of activities across the shop floor
By introducing these capabilities, PipeCloud supports Helsinki Shipyard in delivering ships on time and with higher efficiency, thereby laying the foundation for future digital shipbuilding projects.
“Our platform arrives precisely when Helsinki Shipyard needs command over complex spool logistics and prefabrication, as the shipyard is ramping up production. We are enabling visibility, agility, and confidence as the shipyard’s pipeline is growing.”
Jarno Soinila – CEO, PipeCloud
“Partnering with PipeCloud helps us future-proof our prefabrication processes, delivering precision, speed, and control that are essential for our large-scale projects and growth. We are already the fastest specialized shipbuilder in the world, and this partnership makes us even more efficient.”
Kim Salmi – Managing Director, DNY Finland Helsinki Shipyard
Looking Ahead: Industrial Synergies and Arctic Leadership
This collaboration reflects more than a single project win. It highlights the evolving future of complex shipbuilding, where digital platforms complement advanced industrial capabilities. Helsinki Shipyard’s renewed role as a global leader in icebreaker construction, combined with Davie’s ownership and investments in Finland, underlines the strategic importance of the yard in both European and North American markets. PipeCloud’s digital systems bring an additional layer of certainty and efficiency, ensuring that the shipyard can meet demanding schedules while setting a benchmark for digitalized Arctic shipbuilding. Davie’s acquisition of Enersense Offshore Oy, now named SATA Shipbuilding Oy, means that Davie and Helsinki Shipyard will be Finland’s only specialized shipbuilder with fully integrated capabilities, from ship design to delivery.
About Helsinki Shipyard
Helsinki Shipyard (DNY Finland Oy) operates on the historic Hietalahti waterfront and now employs 450 staff with an estimated growth of 350 people during the next two years. The shipyard has a long tradition and unmatched expertise in the designing and building of icebreakers and other high ice-class vessels for operations in cold environments. In addition to the Arctic know-how, our specialization also covers passenger ferries and cruise ships. The shipyard’s operations date back 160 years to when Helsingfors Skeppsdocka was authorized to open a shipyard in Hietalahti on the 4th of March 1865. The shipyard is renowned as a pioneer in Finnish shipbuilding, a substantial employer, and part of the history and landscape of the City of Helsinki.
About PipeCloud
PipeCloud is a SaaS-based manufacturing execution and planning solution tailored to pipe prefabrication. It offers modular tools for planning, spool tracking, production visibility, subcontracting oversight, and ERP integration. PipeCloud enables pipe workshops and shipyards to improve efficiency, increase coordination, and gain real-time transparency across the entire prefabrication process.
Interested in learning how PipeCloud can improve your pipe prefabrication operations? Explore our websites!