Press Release

M/S Alpo returns to the north of France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, raising funds for Ukraine with Hollywood support

M/S Alpo, known for taking part in the D-Day landings during the Second World War, is embarking on its third voyage from Oulu, Finland, to the northern coast of France. The purpose of the trip is to once again make history and remind everyone of the importance of the Normandy landings in ending the war. Even now, war is raging in Europe and M/S Alpo is doing her part to try and bring the fighting to an end – this time, Alpo is sailing to collect funds to help Ukraine.

On 27 April, M/S Alpo set off into the pack ice off the coast of Oulu in northern Finland to sail to northern France. The 80-year-old veteran tugboat is sailing the challenging waters to take part in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, all while collecting funds to support the defence of Ukraine. The donations will be directed to UNITED24, a fundraising platform founded by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and whose ambassadors include historian Timothy Snyder, entrepreneur Richard Branson, singer and actress Barbara Streisand and American band Imagine Dragons, among others.

M/S Alpo is collecting funds from the sea to the sky. Historian Timothy Snyder, a UNITED24 Ambassador and a professor at the University of Yale, has launched Safe Skies to collect funds for a situational alert system that will aid air defence forces. The profits from Alpo’s historic voyage will go to this fundraising. You can support this cause by donating via the UNITED24 website, using a QR code on https://www.dday-alpo.com, or making a corporate contribution.

“Russia сonstantly attacks civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Working together, we can bring Safe Skies to all of Ukraine and protect both the infrastructure and civilian population of Ukraine from terrorist attacks,” said Timothy Snyder.

“We, the owners of M/S Alpo, are a group of Finnish entrepreneurs who want to do our part to help Ukraine,” says Martti Haapala from Toppilan Möljä Oy.

Join Alpo on her journey

Over the past three years, M/S Alpo has undergone preparations for her upcoming challenge. In addition to repair work, a crew comprising 15 people has been trained to man the vessel. They will be alternating in part during the voyage, which means the entire crew won’t be on board at the same time.

People can participate in Alpo’s journey with their own boats. The aim is to create a convoy around the vessel comprising boating enthusiasts who will accompany Alpo on both shorter and longer legs of her trip.

Alpo will embark on her voyage towards Normandy from her home harbour in the city of Oulu in northern Finland.

“The Black Sea port city of Odesa has been a twin city of Oulu since 1957. Therefore, the City of Oulu is very happy to support Alpo’s voyage. It is excellent that Alpo’s return to Normandy will bring Ukraine the material help it desperately needs,” says Mayor (sub.) of Oulu Ari Alatossava.

In Finland, Alpo will stop over in the city of Turku on the southwestern coast of the country, among other places.

“M/S Alpo’s sister vessel Tolvan is docked in the river Aura which runs through Turku. Alpo’s visit to her sister carries a symbolic meaning: Just like these vessels participated in the preparations for the Normandy landings, we stand with the people of Ukraine as they fight for the security and future of all Europe. Ukraine needs and deserves our unwavering support,” says Mayor of Turku Minna Arve.

From Turku, Alpo sails to Ekenäs on the southern coast of Finland. The Finnish public can visit the unique vessel in Oulu, Turku and Ekenäs.

“We plan to form a great squadron for Alpo. We hope that hundreds of vessels will follow her on her journey,” says project manager Janne Leinonen.

“Our most important goal, of course, is to collect hundreds of donations for Ukraine, which is seeing its people fighting for their freedom at this very moment – like people did in Normandy 80 years ago,” Martti Haapala concludes.

More information:

Janne Leinonen
Tel. +358 50 368 2287
janne.leinonen@vipcruise.info

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Additional information on the journey and donations: https://www.dday-alpo.com

M/S Alpo:

M/S Alpo, originally known as ST-355, was ordered by the U.S. Army and built in 1943 in the United Boat Service shipyard in City Island, New York. That same year she arrived in Europe as part of a convoy to participate in the preparation of D-Day. The tasks of the tugboats included towing and moving parts of the artificial harbour, fuel pipelines and various vessels. Approximately 6,000 vessels took part in the Normandy landings, with only a few making it back fully operational. ST-355 was among them. Afterwards, the vessel towed supplies and military equipment from England across the Channel to France.

In 1946, the vessel arrived in Finland, carrying out post-war mine clearance as part of the Coast Guard and later tugging war reparations. In 1951, the City of Oulu bought the vessel, and it was converted for the icy conditions in the Baltic Sea. The vessel received the name Alpo in a naming ceremony.

Between 1952 and 1971, M/S Alpo operated as a harbour icebreaker and tugboat, after which she continued work as an assisting tugboat until the year 1990. Between 1991 and 1995, the vessel was maintained for crisis needs.

Not needing the vessel anymore, the City of Oulu decided to relinquish Alpo in 1999 with the vessel almost ending up being scrapped.

Ultimately, Alpo became the property of Toppilan Möljä Oy, a company established for the purpose, with Toppilan salmi serving as her new home port.

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UNITED24:

UNITED24 was launched by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main platform for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine. More than $632,657,728 has been raised through donations from over 110 countries during almost two years of operation of the UNITED24 fundraising platform. UNITED24 ambassadors include singer and actress Barbra Streisand, actors Liev Schreiber, Mark Hamill, Mark Strong, Katheryn Winnick, Ivanna Sakhno. and Misha Collins, music band Imagine Dragons, Balenciaga art director Demna, film director Michel Hazanavicius, astronaut Scott Kelly, British adventurer Bear Grylls, historian Timothy Snyder, businessman Richard Branson, country singer Brad Paisley, philosopher and economist Francis Fukuyama, Chef José Andrés, Nobel laureates Paul Nurse, Edward Moser, and May-Britt Moser, as well as famous Ukrainian athletes, Andriy Shevchenko, Elina Svitolina, Oleksandr Usyk, and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

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