Maritime Partner delivers new Fire and Rescue boat to Bergen

The new Alusafe 1800 FIFI, is a specially designed firefighting and rescue craft. The vessel is equipped to handle firefighting operations, as well as search and rescue missions, diving missions and to provide assistance in acute pollution operations.

The Municipality and the Fire Department in Bergen have been strongly focused on the creation of a modern Fire Department, and it was with great joy that the city's newest Fire and Rescue boat - the "Sjøbrand" - was christened by its godmother Britt Brattetveit, on Dreggekaien, just off Bryggen, in Bergen this Monday the 30th of November of 2015.

The boat - which belongs to the design class Alusafe 1800 FIFI from Maritime Partner - is an entirely novel concept developed for Fire and Rescue Emergency Response and is fully adapted to the specific needs of Bergen’s Port and nearby coastal areas in the Municipality of Bergen.

Over its history, Bergen has seen over 30 big-sized fires; fire prevention and combat is, therefore, a strong priority to the city. Through the development of human resources, the use of state-of-the-art technology and the improvement of fast-response emergency operations, Bergen’s Fire Department is presently capable of managing and extinguishing most fires at a relatively early stage.

This new Fire and Rescue boar is fully equipped for Firefighting, Search and Rescue and Diving missions, as well as support in the acute Spill / Pollution response, with an offshore hull design that will perform equally well in open seas and sheltered waters.

«We can now say that we have a Fire and Rescue boat that will significantly boost Bergen’s Maritime Emergency Services, laden with excellent technological solutions and relevant, state-of-the-art equipment. With this new boat, the "Sjøbrand", we have taken a big step forward», said Johnny Breivik, Fire Chief of Bergen Fire Department.

Maritime Partner enjoyed a very positive and very close cooperation with the Bergen Fire Department during the development and production of the "Sjøbrand".

This Maritime Partner boat meets - and in most instances exceeds - all the requirements defined by the Bergen Fire Department when the contract was signed. As stated by Gisle Anderssen, Sales and Marketing Director for Maritime Partner, “this boat is one-of-a-kind in the Norwegian Fire Fighting force, and – at Maritime Partner – we’ve mustered all our experience and knowledge to deliver a boat that is equally capable in Search and Rescue and Spill/Pollution Response operations”.

Maritime Partner began the construction of "Sjøbrand" in September 2014 and the boat was formally delivered on the 26th of November - after its maiden voyage between Ålesund and Bergen, during which it saw heavy seas, when crossing over Stadt. After an initial training period, the new Fire and Rescue boat should be in operation in the end of 2015, beginning of 2016.