Minister of Employment Marttinen visits Canada and US to strengthen cooperation within marine industry and skilled labour

Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen is currently visiting Canada and the United States. The visit is part of Finland’s long-term goal to intensify strategic cooperation and collaboration on skills and expertise with North America. Another purpose is to find sustainable solutions for the development, availability and opportunities for skilled labour in the marine industry together with partner countries.

The visit is expected to strengthen economic cooperation and collaborative efforts on skills and competences between North America and Finland and to promote Finland’s position in the international maritime industry ecosystem. During his visit to Quebec, Washington and Vancouver, Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen will meet operators in the industry, educational institutions and others involved in the labour market as well as politicians making decisions affecting the sector. He will also learn about key companies and clusters of marine industry expertise.

“Now that the orders for icebreakers in Helsinki and Rauma shipyards have been confirmed, it will be increasingly important for Finland to make use of  the opportunities available in the clusters of expertise in the North American maritime sector. At the same time, we are trying to identify insights into the way Finnish expertise and companies, including subcontractors, could have closer ties with the marine industry ecosystem in North America. Finland must make active efforts to seize the full potential offered by the maritime industry for the benefit of our companies and skilled workers,” Marttinen says. 

In Canada, the visit will focus on deepening cooperation within the construction of icebreakers and Arctic vessels, as well as finding solutions for the availability, training and mobility of skilled labour. In Quebec, Minister Marttinen will meet Jean François Simard, who serves as a Minister for the province. Marttinen will also visit the Davie shipyard, where he will discuss icebreaker cooperation, investments in the marine industry and the development of expertise and workforce for the sector as part of Finnish-Canadian cooperation. In Vancouver, Marttinen will have a meeting with Premier of the British Columbia province David Eby and visit Seaspan Shipyards to discuss cooperation with Finnish companies. 

Meanwhile, the visit to the United States aims to intensify bilateral collaboration within maritime industry and skilled labour based on the ICE Pact icebreaker deal. In Washington, Minister Marttinen will have meetings with the U.S. Maritime Administration and Coast Guard.

On 18 November 2025, Finland, the United States and Canada signed a trilateral declaration confirming support for the ICE Pact initiative launched in autumn 2024 with the goal of intensifying cooperation in developing world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers and related capabilities. This cooperation strengthens Finland’s position as a leading actor in the field while enhancing the ability of its allies to operate in the Arctic region.

Inquiries:
Teresa Salminen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 318 (questions to the Minister of Employment)
Maria Westerholm, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 048 311 (trip arrangements)