The Estonian Marine industry is riding a high wave. As reported by ERR, Saaremaa-based Baltic Workboats (BWB) has secured its largest contract to date: a €110M deal with Belgium’s state-owned DAB Vloot. The agreement covers the design and construction of up to two 80-metre pilot station vessels.
Despite its compact house, Estonia has is a serious industry player in Northern Europe. With 500 maritime companies already exporting globally and a 4,000-kilometre coastline, the country has built a robust ecosystem powered by a world-class workforce. It has developed expertise in both standardized and highly customized solutions, backed by six marine technology programs at TalTech – the region’s only competence centre of its kind.
Baltic Workboats is also no newcomer to the business. The shipbuilder has delivered over 200 vessels to 30 countries in the past two decades, handling everything from patrol boats to research vessels. Their 6,200-square-meter indoor facility on the island of Saaremaa employs more than 200 skilled workers and holds key ISO certifications for quality and environmental management.
The upcoming vessels will feature an innovative diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system, combining six Volvo Penta generators with a large battery pack. Designed to operate in the challenging conditions of the North Sea, they will serve as floating bases for pilot boats, maintaining full functionality in waves up to four meters high.
Perhaps most importantly, they’re future-proofed – designed to transition to methanol fuel, anticipating the maritime industry’s shift toward cleaner energy sources. Estonia itself has huge plans for methanol production, including a potential billion-euro plant in Pärnu.
The project also shows a good example of cross-country cooperation at the administrative level. “We particularly value the constructive and flexible approach of the Belgian state in shaping procurement and financing conditions, which take into account both the interests of the client and the capabilities of the builder. This is an excellent example of how public procurement conditions can be negotiated to make them more flexible for medium-sized companies, especially those offering higher quality,” says Margus Vanaselja, owner and chairman of the board at Baltic Workboats (BWB), said in a press release.
The first vessel is scheduled for completion in 42 months, with an option for a second ship that would bring the total contract value to €110M. And as shipping companies scramble to meet new environmental rules, Estonia have a chance to attract more big-ticket projects with its combination of speed, precision and innovations.
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