Rescue boat features hybrid waterjet propulsion

The RESCUE 1500’s electric drive can maintain speeds of up to 6 knots for up to two hours during rescue operations. (Photo: Molabo)

The Finnish shipyard Kewatec recently delivered a newly built hybrid firefighting and rescue boat to the City of Kiel (Germany) Fire Department. The RESCUE 1500 will be used for firefighting, rescue services, disaster response and civil protection in the Kiel Canal, Kiel Fjord and up to 10 nautical miles off the coast of Germany.

The new 16.05 m long vessel is powered by two conventional Volvo D13-700 internal combustion engines rated 515 kW at 2,250 rpm paired with dual Doen DJ172-HE 432-mm axial build electric jet drives with hybrid PTI that are powered by twin Molabo Aries i50 electric motors rated 50 kW at 4,350 to 6,500 rpm. The vessel can operate in Diesel, Electric or Boost mode.

In electric mode, the boat operates quietly and with zero emissions, suited for missions where engine noise and vibration could inhibit search and rescue operations, impede communication on board or between vessels, or otherwise complicate the operation. The original contract specified that the electric drive must maintain speeds of up to 6 knots for up to two hours during rescue operations; the final system is said to have achieved a top speed of 6.8 knots.

In diesel mode, the combustion engines are activated for extended missions or when operating in very demanding weather or sea conditions. In boost mode, both the electric and combustion drivetrains are activated, adding up to 3.5 knots to the vessel’s diesel mode top speed for faster response times.

Molabo said the boat’s safe-to-touch electric drive system does not require specialized high-voltage trained personnel to install, repair or maintain the system. The use of jet drives further enhances safety by eliminating in-water hazards from the propeller during rescue and retrieval operations.