Kongsberg Maritime ASA, the maritime division of Norway's Kongsberg Gruppen, has entered into an agreement to acquire Steerprop, a Finnish designer and manufacturer of azimuth propulsion systems specialising in high ice-class and Arctic vessels. Azimuth thrusters are rotating propeller units that provide propulsion and steering without a conventional rudder, a configuration particularly valued in icegoing tonnage for manoeuvrability and redundancy in harsh conditions.

Steerprop has built a strong position in Arctic propulsion, supplying propulsion systems for icebreakers, polar research vessels, offshore support vessels and other demanding applications. The company has an installed base of more than 400 vessels globally and a significant order backlog, with the majority linked to Arctic and ice-class projects. Finland is home to one of the world's densest clusters of icebreaker and Arctic shipbuilding expertise, anchored by decades of state icebreaking operations in the Baltic Sea, and specialist suppliers such as Steerprop are a key part of that ecosystem.

"For Kongsberg Maritime, the acquisition represents a strategic step in strengthening our position in the growing Arctic and ice-class vessel segment. The combination brings together Steerprop's specialised Arctic propulsion expertise with Kongsberg Maritime's global organisation, lifecycle services network, systems integration capabilities and scale," said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, CEO of Kongsberg Maritime.

The acquisition gives Kongsberg Maritime access to a well-established Arctic propulsion portfolio and strengthens its capabilities in a segment where demand is being driven by fleet renewal programmes, polar research investments and increasing activity in Arctic regions. It also adds a specialised thruster product line alongside Kongsberg Maritime's existing propulsion portfolio, which includes its own ranges of azimuth and tunnel thrusters supplied to merchant, offshore and naval customers worldwide.

"Steerprop has developed strong technology, valuable customer relationships and a leading position in Arctic propulsion. By combining their expertise with Kongsberg Maritime's global reach and integrated solutions portfolio, we believe we can create additional value for customers while strengthening our position in a strategically important market," said Ville Rimpilä, Senior Vice President – Thruster Systems, Kongsberg Maritime.

For customers, Kongsberg Maritime expects the combination to provide access to a broader offering, stronger lifecycle support and enhanced systems integration capabilities across propulsion, energy, automation and other onboard systems.

Both companies will continue to operate independently until the transaction has been completed. Existing projects, deliveries and contractual commitments remain unchanged, and ensuring continuity for customers will be the highest priority throughout the process.

Following completion of the transaction, the intention is to fully integrate Steerprop into Kongsberg Maritime in a phased and structured manner. The integration will focus on safeguarding customer relationships, maintaining delivery performance and retaining critical Arctic propulsion competence while gradually adopting common systems, processes and operating models.

The acquisition reflects Kongsberg Maritime's long-term commitment to investing in technologies and capabilities that help customers succeed in some of the world's most challenging maritime environments.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed in the announcement.

Source: Kongsberg Maritime