VESSEL REVIEW | Guardamar Urania – Final fast boat in series handed over to Spanish sea rescue agency

Spanish maritime search and rescue (SAR) organisation Salvamento Maritimo recently acquired a new fast response boat built by compatriot shipyard Armon to a design originally developed by French naval architecture firm Mauric.

The vessel has been named Guardamar Urania in honour of the goddess of astronomy in Greek mythology. Instead of having a specific limited area of responsibility as is the case with most boats in the Salvamento Maritimo fleet, the new boat is slated for operation anywhere along the entire coastline of Spain to ensure better SAR coverage and thus help minimise response times during emergencies.

The newbuild has all-aluminium construction, a length of 40 metres, a beam of 7.8 metres, a maximum draught of 2.12 metres, a gross tonnage of 292, and space for eight crewmembers plus up to 30 rescued survivors. Only minimal noise and vibrations are generated when underway, thus helping reduce the occupants' fatigue.

Two MTU 12V4000 diesel engines that each produce 1,840 kW at 1,800 rpm drive fixed-pitch propellers to deliver a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 1,260 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots. A 75kW bow thruster is also fitted to ensure more precise manoeuvring during berthing and unberthing.

The boat also has two Kohler 130kW auxiliary generators, a water purification plant, a wastewater treatment plant, a gas-oil treatment plant, and an air compressor. A towing hook will allow the boat to provide towing assistance to disabled vessels.

The SAR equipment includes a starboard-side MOB recovery net that can be hydraulically lowered and raised and a small rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with seating for six people. The RIB is deployed into and recovered from the water using a dedicated Guerra knuckle boom crane. Ibercisa supplied the winches, the windlass, and other deck machinery.

The wheelhouse is ergonomically laid out and is configured to enable the crew to directly oversee the recovery of survivors from the water via the aft starboard deck. The electronics include two Furuno radars and a 3D mapping sensor that can locate submerged wrecks. Also fitted are a Luminell searchlight and CCTV cameras from Hikvision.

Also located on the main deck is an air-conditioned compartment for accommodation and treatment of patients on stretchers. This compartment also has a first aid kit and a toilet that is exclusively for use by patients.

Guardamar Urania is the final one in a series of five SAR boats to be built for Salvamento Maritimo. This design by Mauric has also been adapted for maritime security use in the form of 35-metre-long variants operated by Spain's Guardia Civil national police force.

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