Marine Alutech

Marine Alutech is a Finnish specialist boatbuilder serving military, public-sector, and maritime-authority customers. The company designs and manufactures aluminium and composite boats and vessels, generally in the approximately 5-to-27-metre range. Its products are intended for demanding operational roles including naval transport, amphibious landing, coastal and lake patrol, search and rescue, port security, and other government missions. Many of its craft use waterjet propulsion, enabling high manoeuvrability and speeds commonly exceeding 40 knots, with some configurations capable of reaching approximately 50 knots. The company was founded in 1991, although boat production connected with the Teijo shipyard had begun earlier, in 1985. A significant leadership and strategic transition occurred in 1998, when Niko Haro succeeded his father as managing director. Under Haro's leadership, Marine Alutech moved more strongly toward international markets. During its first three decades, from 1991 through 2021, the company delivered 522 boats, according to the referenced company history. Its craft have subsequently been supplied to customers in multiple countries, including Finland, Malaysia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Marine Alutech's principal trading name is Watercat. The Watercat range includes fast landing craft, patrol boats, and other mission-configurable vessels. Among its best-known designs are the Watercat M12, associated with the Finnish Navy's Jurmo-class landing craft, and the Watercat M18, associated with the Finnish Navy's Jehu-class landing craft. Depending on the mission, boats can be fitted with communications, surveillance, rescue, transport, weapons, and other specialist systems. The company's military and governmental focus distinguishes it from recreational and general-purpose leisure-boat manufacturers. Its customer base and operator references include naval and government organizations. Finnish users have operated G-class, Jehu-class, Jurmo-class, Uisko-class, and Watercat M14-class craft. Related Watercat-derived or associated boats have also been used by Swedish, Malaysian, and Swiss military or public-sector operators. In Switzerland, a Watercat 1250 Patrol design was selected for lake patrol duties and became known as Patr Boot 16. Production involved cooperation with Shiptec AG in Lucerne; construction began in 2018 and was completed by 2021. In late 2025, Marine Alutech agreed with the German shipbuilder Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel to begin manufacturing Marine Alutech boats at the German yard in Kiel. The agreement represents an expansion of the company's manufacturing and international-industrial footprint. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate parent company, stock-market listing, current headquarters, current chief executive, or official corporate website URL.

Marine Alutech's production history is connected to the Teijo shipyard, where boats were already being manufactured from 1985. The Marine Alutech company itself was established in 1991 in Finland. From the beginning, its activities centered on aluminium boatbuilding and on vessels intended for demanding professional and public-sector use rather than recreational boating. A major development came in 1998, when Niko Haro succeeded his father as managing director. The change was followed by a stronger emphasis on international markets. Marine Alutech developed a portfolio of fast boats and landing craft using aluminium and composite construction, with designs suitable for naval transport, patrol, rescue, combat-support, and port or government operations. Waterjet propulsion became an important characteristic of many vessels, supporting high speed and manoeuvrability in operational environments. The company operates under its own name and also uses Watercat as a trading name for a prominent family of boats. The Watercat product line includes landing craft and patrol-oriented vessels in several sizes. Its best-known naval associations include the Watercat M12, linked with the Finnish Navy's Jurmo-class landing craft, and the Watercat M18, linked with the Jehu-class landing craft. The craft can be adapted to customer requirements and may carry communications, surveillance, rescue, transport, or weapons-related equipment. International deliveries expanded the company's user base beyond Finland. Reference material identifies Watercat-related or Marine Alutech vessels in service with military and government operators in Finland, Malaysia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Finnish operator references include G-class, Jehu-class, Jurmo-class, Uisko-class, and Watercat M14-class landing craft. Sweden and Malaysia have also operated identified Watercat or related landing-craft classes. In Switzerland, the Watercat 1250 Patrol was selected for lake-patrol duties. The vessel was known locally as Patr Boot 16 and was intended for patrol activity on Switzerland's major border-connected lakes, including Lake Geneva, Lake Constance, Lake Lugano, and Lake Maggiore. Marine Alutech collaborated with Shiptec AG in Lucerne on the project. Construction started in 2018 and was completed by 2021. Marine Alutech reports that it delivered 522 boats during its first 30 years, covering the period from 1991 to 2021. This figure illustrates the company's cumulative production while also reflecting its specialized, project-oriented market. Its boats are typically produced for institutional buyers and configured for particular missions rather than sold as standardized mass-market products. In late 2025, Marine Alutech entered an agreement with Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel, a German shipbuilding company, under which Marine Alutech boats would begin production at the German shipyard in Kiel. The arrangement points to a broader manufacturing and market-access strategy in Europe. The available reference material does not provide enough information to establish the company's current ownership structure, headquarters, current managing director, financial performance, or a confirmed official website URL.

1. 2025Kiel manufacturing agreement

   Marine Alutech agrees with Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel to manufacture its boats at the German shipyard in Kiel.

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2. 2021Swiss patrol-boat construction is completed

   The Swiss Watercat 1250 Patrol construction program is completed. Marine Alutech also reaches 522 delivered boats across its first 30 years, according to the cited history.

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3. 2018Construction begins on Swiss patrol boats

   Construction of the Watercat 1250 Patrol vessels begins in cooperation with Shiptec AG in Lucerne.

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4. 2016Swiss lake-patrol program includes the Watercat 1250 Patrol

   The Watercat 1250 Patrol is ordered as part of a Swiss armament program for lake-patrol duties and is later known as Patr Boot 16.

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5. 1998Niko Haro becomes managing director

   Niko Haro succeeds his father as managing director, after which the company places greater emphasis on international markets.

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6. 1991Marine Alutech is founded

   Marine Alutech is established in Finland as an aluminium and composite boat manufacturer.

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7. 1985Boat production begins under the Teijo shipyard

   Boat manufacturing associated with the Teijo shipyard, the predecessor production context for Marine Alutech, is reported to have begun.

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A specialist Finnish builder of fast, durable, mission-configurable aluminium and composite vessels for navies, coast guards, government agencies, and port authorities.

• Watercat M12Landing craft

  The Watercat M12 is a compact military landing-craft design associated with the Finnish Navy's Jurmo-class. It belongs to Marine Alutech's fast aluminium and composite vessel family and is intended for the movement of personnel, equipment, and mission loads in coastal or amphibious operations. Its configuration can be adapted for military transport and other government requirements.

• Watercat M18Landing craft

  The Watercat M18 is a larger landing-craft design associated with the Finnish Navy's Jehu-class. It is designed for high-speed transport and military support missions, using the company's aluminium/composite construction approach and mission-specific outfitting. The platform may be equipped with operational systems appropriate to transport, patrol, or combat-support roles.

• Watercat M14Landing craft

  The Watercat M14 is a Watercat landing-craft model operated in military contexts, including by Finnish and Malaysian users. It is intended for fast movement of personnel and equipment and can be configured around the requirements of naval or government customers. Public reference material does not provide a complete technical specification or launch date.

• Watercat 1250 PatrolPatrol boat2016

  The Watercat 1250 Patrol is a patrol-vessel design selected for Swiss lake operations. The Swiss boats were known as Patr Boot 16 and were intended to support patrol missions on major lakes connected with Switzerland's borders. Marine Alutech worked with Shiptec AG in Lucerne, with construction taking place from 2018 to 2021.

• Watercat seriesMission-configurable boats

  Watercat is Marine Alutech's principal trading name and covers a range of fast aluminium and composite boats, including landing craft and patrol-oriented vessels. The boats generally span roughly 5 to 25 metres, use waterjet propulsion in many configurations, and can be outfitted for naval transport, rescue, patrol, port security, or combat-support missions. Some configurations exceed 40 knots and may carry specialist communications, surveillance, rescue, or weapons systems.

• 2025Agreement to manufacture boats in KielStrategy

  Marine Alutech sought to extend production and international industrial cooperation beyond Finland.

  What changed. The company agreed with Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel that Marine Alutech boats would begin being manufactured at the German shipyard in Kiel.

  Aftermath. The available source reports the agreement but does not provide production volumes, investment figures, or subsequent delivery results.

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• 1998Greater international-market focusStrategy

  Niko Haro became managing director after succeeding his father.

  What changed. Marine Alutech shifted toward stronger participation in international markets.

  Aftermath. The company subsequently supplied boats to customers in several countries, although the available source does not quantify the direct commercial effect of the strategy.

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• 2025Marine Alutech reaches manufacturing agreement with Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel

  Marine Alutech and the German shipbuilder Schiffswerft Gebrüder Friedrich Kiel signed an agreement for Marine Alutech boats to begin being manufactured at the German yard in Kiel.

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1. Marine Alutech