VESSEL REVIEW | Haixiao No 1 – Offshore-capable firefighting and rescue vessel to serve China’s Hainan province

The Haikou Fire and Rescue Detachment, a department of the Chinese National Fire and Rescue Administration that serves the port city of Haikou in Hainan province, has taken delivery of a new firefighting boat built locally by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard.

Haixiao No 1 joins two other vessels in fulfilling firefighting and search and rescue (SAR) missions primarily in the offshore waters surrounding Hainan Free Trade Port, though it may also be deployed for emergency response in and around China's ports that face the South China Sea. Secondary duties will include towing, salvage, and oil spill response.

The vessel has an LOA of 49.8 metres, a beam of 12 metres, a draught of 4.3 metres, and a gross tonnage of 1,030. Two main engines with a total installed power of 5,050 kW drive azimuthing propellers to deliver an operational speed of just over 15 knots.

The main propellers and the bow thruster enable the vessel to turn a full 360 degrees on its own length in as little as two minutes. This provides enhanced operational flexibility especially when operating in close quarters environments such as those in busy port areas.

The vessel's array of emergency response gear includes China Classification Society-certified FiFi2 equipment consisting of seven strategically located foam/water monitors, two fast tenders for firefighting and SAR missions in shallow waters, and a hangar for housing unmanned vehicles that will augment the ability of the crew to monitor ongoing incidents.

The builder said the monitors can be operated continuously for up to 82 minutes, allowing the vessel to be used for sustained firefighting operations on large ships, port infrastructure, and offshore platforms.

A dynamic positioning system is also fitted.