(LEVIS, Quebec) — Davie on Friday announced it has finalized the acquisition of the assets of Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard Oy (HSO), a facility with a history of building ice-class vessels and dedicated icebreakers.
The transaction combines the skills, experience and capabilities of two leaders in Arctic shipbuilding and other high-value products. While the Canadian and Finnish shipyards will be separate legal and operating entities, the business headquarters will remain in Quebec. The transaction will create opportunities for employees, encourage collaboration, facilitate the transfer of know-how, provide access to resources, and stimulate export potential.
While the details of the business purchase agreement are confidential, the transaction was made possible by a combination of Davie’s own funds and by $110 million of financing from the Quebec government consisting of an equity investment of $43 million and a loan of $67 million. A significant proportion of the funds will go to ensuring the shipyard has working capital while it gets up and running and secures new business.
Importantly, the Canadian government has looked favorably on the potential synergies resulting from the transaction for the construction of icebreakers under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).
The completion of the transaction is the culmination of a series of milestones, beginning in December 2022. In March 2023, Davie exercised an exclusive option to purchase the assets of HSO. This was followed in April by the signing of a business purchase agreement, and on July 4 Davie secured a new 50-year land lease from the city of Helsinki.
– Davie
