RABN registers MV Jolie under the Finnish flag

25. May 2026

Finnish shipping company Rederi AB Nathalie (RABN) has transferred the MV Jolie from the Cyprus flag to the Finnish flag on 18 May 2026. With the change, RABN aims to improve operational efficiency and strengthen their company culture.

Acquired last year, Jolie was RABN’s first vessel not registered under the Finnish flag. The trial period before the new registration showed that operating under their existing model with a Finnish crew improves the shipping company’s efficiency.

With the change of flag, the vessel’s home port, crew, applicable legislation, and terms of employment also changed. All RABN’s vessels had always been registered in Finland, but in the case of Jolie, the aim was to establish a basis for comparison regarding how operations under another EU flag would fare.

“Following the trial, it is clear to us that our operations run more smoothly when the vessels have their own crew who have embraced the company’s operating culture,” says RABN’s CEO Antti Partanen.

Shared work practices improve efficiency

Long careers and career paths within the company are typical on RABN’s vessels and form the basis for an efficient operating model. Operating under the Finnish flag supports the shipping company’s work culture but also brings challenges.

“In international competition, it is important for the shipping company to maintain competitiveness and efficiency. The benefits of operating under the Finnish flag are not necessarily apparent, and competition can be fierce,” Partanen points out.

However, while sailing under the Cyprus flag, RABN was unable to maintain the same operating culture on the Jolie as on other RABN vessels. This undermined efficiency.

“Our model is based on giving the crew a great deal of responsibility and freedom, rather than controlling everything from the office. Finnish expertise and maritime training contribute to this independent way of working. We now have good comparative data to see what happens when we operate a vessel in the same way as our European competitors,” Partanen explains.

Finnish fleets are the backbone of security of supply

Registering the Jolie under the Finnish flag created 10 new jobs, but RABN’s decisions also have wider implications for the future of the domestic maritime sector.

“In Finland, our sector faces a labour shortage, and all local shipping companies would like more skilled personnel. However, training opportunities for maritime students are very limited on domestic shipping companies’ vessels. For RABN, it’s important to take social responsibility for ensuring that trainees are taken on board ships registered in Finland,” Partanen notes.

A Finnish fleet would also be invaluable in the event of an emergency, as around 96 per cent of Finland’s exports and imports are transported by sea. If shipping operations were disrupted in nearby waters, all import and export cargoes would be handled primarily by Finnish vessels.

“From a shipping company’s perspective, it’s extremely important that Finnish maritime policy is long-term and predictable. If we want to ensure business continuity and security of supply in all situations, there is no room for hasty solutions,” Partanen concludes.