The International Organisation for Migration has contracted Dutch shipbuilder Damen to supply six Search and Rescue (SAR) vessels with a delivery date set for 2017.
The boats are being financed by the European Union and will be operated by the Turkish Coastguard (TURCG), to support the refugees and migrants rescue operations.
Based on the Damen SAR 1906, the vessels will be built at Damen’s Turkish shipyard in Antalya with the delivery of the first two boats set for the first half of 2017.
“These boats will be built in Turkey for Turkey,” said Damen’s Boran Bekbulat .
Damen SAR 1906 is the result of a five-year R&D programme initiated by Damen in partnership with the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM), Delft University of Technology and De Vries Lentsch Naval Architects.
The SAR 1906 is an all-weather, self-righting vessel with an aluminium hull and a composite wheelhouse. The hull design is based on Damen’s Axe Bow technology, adapted for the specific operations of rescue boats. The boat has a top speed of 33+ knots, according to Damen.
The vessels will be deployed by Turkish Coast Guard along Turkey’s coast line, giving assistance to refugees and migrants fleeing nearby conflict zones. The company noted that despite of a relatively compact design, the 19-metre SAR can carry up to 120 survivors.
The delivery schedule calls for the first vessel to be delivered within 12 months of the contract signing. Damen said it plans to beat that by delivering the first in May next year and the second the following month. All six will be commissioned by the year end.