VESSEL REVIEW | Orinoco – North Sea rescue boat for Flemish transport company

Flemish government-owned inland waterway transport operator DAB Vloot has taken delivery of a new aluminium-hulled, all weather-capable rescue boat from Baltic Workboats of Estonia.

Orinoco has an LOA of 20.5 metres, a beam of six metres, and a draught of 1.1 metres. The hull features a wave-piercing bow and interceptors to enhance stability and improve operating efficiency even at high speeds.

Two Volvo Penta D16 551kW engines drive Kongsberg KaMeWa S40 waterjets via ZF 500 gearboxes to deliver a speed of 25 knots and a range of 300 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 20 knots. A Sleipner Side Power bow thruster is also fitted.

Onboard space is available for three crewmembers and up to 29 rescued survivors including five stretcher-bound people. The wheelhouse is configured so that any noise heard from the outside is reduced to a moderate 58 dB even as the boat is cruising at over 20 knots. The coxswain and another crewmember are seated on two Shoxs suspension helm seats from Allsalt Maritime.

The electronics suite includes two Furuno radars, a Teledyne FLIR rotating thermal camera, and other electronics from Simrad and Jotron. Electrical power is supplied by a Kohler 9EFKOZD 9kW generator. The accommodation spaces are fully air-conditioned and include a small berthing compartment and a toilet.

Orinoco is also equipped to perform firefighting duties and towing of vessels of similar size. For enhanced emergency response capability, the boat is fitted with an aft hydraulic platform, a lookout position, rescue nets, and port and starboard MOB davits. Although DAB Vloot's primary jurisdiction encompasses inland waterways, the new rescue boat is built for operation in coastal areas and even in the offshore waters of the North Sea, often in partnership with local volunteer rescue organisations. The boat also has self-righting ability.

Orinoco, which is built to Lloyd's Register class rules, replaces an older rescue boat in the DAB Vloot fleet. It is homeported at the Western Flemish coastal city of Ostend.