The Team Finland Network is organizing a maritime-focused business delegation visit to Washington D.C., Pascagoula (MS) and San Diego (CA), in the United States on December 9-13, 2024. This visit serves as a return visit and continuation on the visit of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard delegation led by RADM Anderson to Finland in May 2024.
The delegation’s program will start in Washington D.C. with visits to the U.S. Navy Warfare Centers and the U.S. Coast Guard. The itinerary will then continue in Pascagoula, where the delegation will visit the Bollinger Mississippi shipbuilding. The program will conclude in San Diego, featuring visits to the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard and another U.S. Navy Warfare Center.
The delegation will meet with U.S. Navy representatives, as well as with key decision-makers, technical buyers, and design departments from the shipyards and Warfare Centers. The goal of the meetings is to learn about U.S. Navy’s practices, current and upcoming projects, local content requirements, national grants, and programs. Additionally, Finnish companies will have the opportunity to present their products, services, and solutions to the technical teams.
The shipyards to be visited are involved in building or subcontracting ice-going, commercial or U.S. Navy vessels. These shipyards have been selected based on their vessel types, current and upcoming projects, clientele, activity level, size and order books. North American shipyards enjoy record-high order books, and American shipyards face historically strongest order books on newbuilds, refits and ship repair work.
On 11 July 2024, Finland, the United States and Canada published a trilateral joint statement on cooperation in the production of icebreakers (known as the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact). The initiative was signed by the Presidents of Finland and the United States, Alexander Stubb and Joe Biden, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Through this initiative Finland, Canada, and the United States commit to deeper collaboration in building icebreakers in each country by sharing expertise, knowledge, and competence. The ICE Pact provides Finland with an opportunity to strengthen its position in the North American supply chain of critical infrastructure. During the business delegation visit, the ICE Pact and its implementation will be addressed.
The delegation will be led by Mr. Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
Who should attend?
The visit is tailored for Finnish companies and research organizations focusing on shipbuilding, ship design, marine technology, arctic shipping solutions, subcontracting, energy solutions, electrification, as well as technologies supporting the listed business segments are strongly encouraged to participate.
We invite Finnish companies exploring business opportunities in the U.S. to join us on this delegation, whether traveling from Finland or represented locally within the United States.
The delegation is limited to 11 companies, with participation offered on a first-come, first-served basis. We welcome one representative per company. If you would like additional representatives to join, please register your first attendee and email us with your request (annika.lipsanen-brito (at) businessfinland.fi). We will confirm after the registration closes if space permits additional participants from the same company.
Participation fee
To cover the costs of arranging the visit to the U.S. on December 9-13, 2024, Business Finland will charge a participation fee.
- Major companies: EUR 2800 + 25.5% VAT per person
- Micro businesses and SMEs: EUR 2380 + 25.5% VAT per person.
Business Finland will invoice the participation fee after the visit based on actual costs. The invoiced fee will not exceed the amounts mentioned above. Kindly note that the participation fee does not include flights or accommodation of the participant nor meals outside the business delegation program.
