Sweden's Marell Boats have rapidly become globally known for their fast, safe, stylish and practical aluminium and FRP work and patrol boats.
They often present innovative but very practical propulsion solutions, in this case with sterndrives, with their new boats. This fine fireboat certainly looks the part and is an excellent example of Marell's capabilities.
"It is a unique FiFi boat due to its high speed and integrated fire pump system, driven by the centre engine," Gerard Törneman, Commercial Sales Manager at Marell Boats, told Baird Maritime. "The boat can be held in position by the wing drive units, while the centre engine is pumping water up to 3,000 litres per minute. The boat is perfect to beach due to the sterndrives and the water pickup is in the aft, so it can be used for firefighting operations on land, with a tank that never will be empty."
Törneman said the challenge in construction lay mainly in integrating a bow ramp in the hull while providing access for the firefighter from inside the cabin to run directly onto the ramp even while wearing a smoke suit. Fortunately, this issue was overcome and the final design proved an effective solution.
When asked about the future of the maritime emergency services industry, Törneman remarked that unmanned craft and low-emission vessels are becoming more viable options for operators.
"One trend has to do with unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) performing rescue and firefighting work in addition to protection, surveillance, seafloor mapping, and environmental operations. We are also seeing a growing demand for electric- and hybrid-powered variants of our existing lightweight aluminium boats. For instance this year we will present a new hybrid boat with a diesel-electric powertrain and waterjets."
The need for lower emissions is one trend Törneman identified as having an impact on shipbuilding.
"Builders should be mindful of the environmental aspect, as it is necessary to provide crews with a means of selecting the most efficient way to operate their boats," he told Baird Maritime. "One solution entails the use of fossil-free fuels such as HVO. We are also starting to introduce selective catalytic reduction on our smaller commercial boat models to reduce NOx emissions."