On 15.4.2010 the Estonian Ministry of the Interior and the Police and Border Guard Board signed a shipbuilding agreement with the Finnish shipyard Uudenkaupungin Työvene OY on the construction of a multifunctional spill response vessel which will be financed through the European Regional Development Fund for 420 million kroons (€26,8 million) and completed by autumn 2012.

In negotiations of the agreement, the government was advised by partner Tõnis Tamme and associate Karmen Turk in co-operation with Mr Indra Kaunis from Consolato del Mare OÜ – a consultancy specialising in maritime law.

The newbuilding will be 63.3 metres long, 10.2 metres wide and have a draught of 4.6 metres. It will boast border guard, rescue, ice breaking and spill response capabilities.

A modern diesel-electric vessel with excellent manoeuvring and ice-breaking capabilities suitable for use in the complicated maritime conditions of the Baltic Sea, it conforms to all HELCOM requirements and will carry out prevention and monitoring activities and impede intentional pollution in Estonian waters in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. The vessel is also equipped for oil pollution clean-up operations and will thus help to reduce the danger of pollution spreading towards the coast.