Hong Kong shipyard delivers RAnger 4600 fireboat

Naval architectural firm Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, Canada, reports that Hong Kong’s Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding last month delivered an Allan-designed RAnger 4600 Class fireboat, Guan Xiao Er Hao, to the Dongguan Fire Services Department, China.

Guan Xiao Er Hao (“Dongguan Fireboat Number 2”) is a 46 m, twin screw, diesel-powered vessel specifically designed for marine and shore-side fire fighting and offshore rescue in the Pearl River Estuary, the Pearl River and the Dongguan region harbor environment. Ithas been designed to perform a wide variety of tasks, including:

• Safety service and fire-fighting standby in the PetroChemical Industrial Zone on Dongguan Lisha Island
• Fire-fighting operations at offshore installations and in rivers and ports in the area
• Supply of land fire mains
• Search & Rescue Operations
• Initial salvage response
• Incident Command Center

Guan Xiao Er Hao has the following particulars:

Length Overall- 46.42 m (excluding fenders)
Beam, Molded- 11.70 m
Depth, Molded- 5.15 m
Maximum Draft- 3.65 m

Capacities are as follows:

Fuel Oil-110 cu.m
Potable Water-24 cu.m
Fi-Fi Foam-61 cu.m
Water Ballast-40 cu.m

Propulsion machinery consists of a pair of Caterpillar 3516B-HD diesel engines, each rated 1864 bkW at 1,600 rpm. They each drive a 2,000 mm diameter fixed pitch propeller.

Electrical power is supplied by a pair of Caterpillar C18 DITA diesel gensets, each rated 350 kW.

The fire-fighting equipment, all of which was supplied by FFS (headquartered in Moss, Norway) is effectively to a Fi-Fi 2 International standard and comprises the following:

Fire Pumps:
3 FFS 500/400-80 pumps rated at 3600 cu.m/h at 146 mlc

Fire Monitors:
1 x FFS 3600 with water capacity of 3600 cu.m/hr
2 x FFS 2400/600 with water capacity of 2400 cu.m/hr and foam output capacity of 600cu.m/hr
2 x FFS 600/150 with water capacity of 600 cu.m/hr and foam capacity of 150 cu.m/hr
2 x FFS 600 with water capacity of 600 cu.m/hr

The Fi-Fi system includes:

• Combined remote and manual operated fire-fighting monitors
• Foam system: 2 x foam injection pumps and 6 x foam proportioners
• Deck outlets: 14 x 80 mm deckheads for water/foam delivery; and 2 x 300 mm outlets for delivery to landside (when vessel functions as pump station)
• Water deluge system using FFS nozzles

The vessel has been built in accordance with the China Classification Society notation: CSAD, CSMD, Coastal Service, Fire Fighting Ship 2

The Guan Xiao Er Hao has the following design features:

Bridge Deck:

• Wheelhouse forward: arranged to maximum all-round visibility, and with overhead viewing windows. Wheelhouse controls consist of a centerline main navigation console, a port side communication station and starboard navigation controls.
• A command center is located central in the wheelhouse with chart table for coordinating on-scene activities with land-based resources and fi-fi controls

Main Deck:

• fire-fighting equipment room: outfitted with shelving to store hoses, fittings, rescue equipment, SCBA air-packs, etc. and serving double duty as a medical treatment room
• crew transport room: comfortable seating area with television and lockers for crew’s gear and PFD storage
• large water level rescue platform for diver access and casualty recovery
• multiple hydrant outlets for water supply to shore systems
• flush-mounted, machinery access/removal flush hatch
• exterior aft controls on main deck
• fully outfitted crew accommodation for 10 crew
• well furnished rest area for fire fighters in the event of extended operations
• A 33 seat conference and command/control center
• Rescue area for seating of 40 with 10 stretcher stations
• Hospital with 2 patient beds
• Large stowage areas for air bottles with re-charging facilities; same air supply to service diving operations with umbilical lines
• Aft rescue/diving platform
• Stowage of 1 x 21 ft. Boston Whaler IMPACT and 1 x 9M AL pursuit launch at open aft deck; launching by hydraulic deck crane
• Helicopter lifting deck space
• Mooring for diving operation to 50M water depth

Below Main Deck:

• lavatory facilities
• a spacious engine room with full walking height access to all machinery
• the steering gear flat, in which three stainless steel foam tanks and the FM 200 fire suppression system are also located
• One 350 kW and one 250 kW, electrically driven Schottel thruster unit installed as bow and stern thruster respectively for enhanced station-keeping and close quarters maneuvering control
• Anti-rolling tank for good seakeeping capability 

On trials, the new fireboat achieved 16 knots and exceeded all performance expectations.

December 5, 2011