UAE builder Asis Boats has delivered four rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) in a series to an unnamed logistics support company in Oman.
The eight-metre boats will be used for transferring personnel from between the shore and the customer's own ships in the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea.
The RHIBs are fitted with Asis' proprietary foam tube collar made of closed cells "memory foam." The tubes are made from a custom-designed fabric and removable HDPE plates for added protection against damage-causing impact.
Other features on each boat include a double console with two extended bench seats, an aft-mounted stainless steel A-frame with metal plates for easy mounting of lights, GPS, and other electronics, a pull post for use in mooring and in towing other vessels in distress, and deck space for cargo.
Power for each RHIB is provided by one Yanmar 178kW inboard diesel engine driving a HamiltonJet HJ421 waterjet to deliver speeds in excess of 29 knots. A stainless steel 300-litre fuel tank has also been installed.
Asis said the RHIBs will be operated primarily in support of international security companies engaged in anti-piracy activities in the region. These four boats join 10 other Asis-built RHIBs in the same owner's fleet.
