While the new icebreaker was being built, the state-owned icebreaker fleet had become a powerful strike weapon for Niilo Wälläri, the chairman of the Finnish Seamen's Union.
By the early 1950s, the strikes had become so common that they were sometimes considered a normal part of the arrival of winter.
It was also jokingly said that a new icebreaker strike could be predicted simply by looking at the thermometer—the "strike limit" would be reached when the temperature dropped low enough for the seas to freeze.
When Wälläri announced a new strike in 1953, the Finnish Government decided to take action as the icebreaker strikes effectively stopped all foreign trade during the winter months, causing major losses for the Finnish industry.
In Sweden, the state-owned icebreakers were part of the Swedish Navy and thus were not allowed to go on strike.
On 9 February 1954, only four days before Voima was commissioned, it was decided to move the new icebreaker under the Finnish Navy, where it would replace the 77-year-old Von Döbeln as the supply ship for the torpedo boats during the summer months.
During the icebreaking season, the ship would still be crewed by the Navy, but used to escort merchant ships under the command of the Finnish Maritime Administration.

The change of flag was postponed until the end of the winter season due to opposition from the Seamen's Union.
When Voima was transferred to the Finnish Navy on 1 May 1954, the Seamen's Union announced that Finnish merchant ships, crewed by civilians, would not subject themselves to military authority by accepting assistance from a naval ship.
As a result, the ports of Kotka and Hamina were effectively closed during the first months of the following winter, trapping a number of ships in the harbors, as Voima was the only icebreaker stationed in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland.
Eventually, the Government gave up and called Voima to Helsinki, where she remained until the spring.
On 1 December 1955, Voima was transferred back to the Finnish Maritime Administration.

Although the commissioning of the new icebreaker did not go as planned, Voima still brought a long-awaited relief to the Finnish winter navigation.
During the extremely difficult winter of 1956, she broke all previous records by escorting or otherwise assisting 616 icebound ships, among them the steam-powered icebreakers Sampo and Tarmo that had been immobilized by compressive pack ice.
Voima also proved the superiority of two bow propellers in Baltic ice conditions and experiences from her first years in service were used to design the new Karhu-class icebreakers in the late 1950s.
Voima remained the most powerful icebreaker in the Finnish state-owned fleet until the new 12,000 hp Tarmo-class icebreakers entered service in the mid-1960s.
While the new icebreaker was being built, the state-owned icebreaker fleet had become a powerful strike weapon for Niilo Wälläri, the chairman of the Finnish Seamen's Union. By the early 1950s, the strikes had become so common that they were sometimes considered a normal part of the arrival of winter. It was also jokingly said that a new icebreaker strike could be predicted simply by looking at the thermometer—the "strike limit" would be reached when the temperature dropped low enough for the seas to freeze. When Wälläri announced a new strike in 1953, the Finnish Government decided to take action as the icebreaker strikes effectively stopped all foreign trade during the winter months, causing major losses for the Finnish industry. In Sweden, the state-owned icebreakers were part of the Swedish Navy and thus were not allowed to go on strike. On 9 February 1954, only four days before Voima was commissioned, it was decided to move the new icebreaker under the Finnish Navy, where it would replace the 77-year-old Von Döbeln as the supply ship for the torpedo boats during the summer months. During the icebreaking season, the ship would still be crewed by the Navy, but used to escort merchant ships under the command of the Finnish Maritime Administration.
The change of flag was postponed until the end of the winter season due to opposition from the Seamen's Union. When Voima was transferred to the Finnish Navy on 1 May 1954, the Seamen's Union announced that Finnish merchant ships, crewed by civilians, would not subject themselves to military authority by accepting assistance from a naval ship. As a result, the ports of Kotka and Hamina were effectively closed during the first months of the following winter, trapping a number of ships in the harbors, as Voima was the only icebreaker stationed in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. Eventually, the Government gave up and called Voima to Helsinki, where she remained until the spring. On 1 December 1955, Voima was transferred back to the Finnish Maritime Administration.
Although the commissioning of the new icebreaker did not go as planned, Voima still brought a long-awaited relief to the Finnish winter navigation. During the extremely difficult winter of 1956, she broke all previous records by escorting or otherwise assisting 616 icebound ships, among them the steam-powered icebreakers Sampo and Tarmo that had been immobilized by compressive pack ice. Voima also proved the superiority of two bow propellers in Baltic ice conditions and experiences from her first years in service were used to design the new Karhu-class icebreakers in the late 1950s. Voima remained the most powerful icebreaker in the Finnish state-owned fleet until the new 12,000 hp Tarmo-class icebreakers entered service in the mid-1960s.
Voima (1952 icebreaker)