Damen delivers first two SAR 1906 vessels to Turkish Coast Guard

The Turkish Coast Guard Command has just taken delivery of the first two Damen Shipyard Group Search and Rescue Vessels (SAR 1906). These two vessels are part of a contract that was signed at the end of August 2016 between Damen and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), itself part of an agreement between the European Union and the IOM, for the delivery of six SAR 1906 to the Turkish Coast Guard.

Initially, the first vessel was scheduled for delivery twelve months after signing of the contract. However, in response to the critical refugee situation currently taking place in the region, Boran Bekbulat, Damen Sales Manager Middle East, commented: “Considering the importance of the work of the Turkish Coast Guard and the urgency of the situation in the region, the team here at our yard in Turkey are proud to have completed these first two vessels within this short space of time.” Damen Shipyard Antalya delivered the first two ships in less than ten months.

The SAR 1906 is the result of a cooperative design between the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM), Deft University of Technology, and De Vries Lentsch Naval Architects.

It has an aluminium hull and a composite wheelhouse that allow the vessel to remain light while being able to combine speed of up to 33kts with efficient fuel consumption. Nineteen meters long, the vessel can rescue up to 120 survivors, and its hull, adapted from Damen’s Axe Bow Technology, provides sea-keeping capabilities to operate in all weathers and sea states. Even a capsize situation does not hinder activities, as the vessel can right itself and the engines and on-board equipment have been designed to continue operating even after the vessel has capsized.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Antalya, Turkey, the Head of the EU Delegation in Turkey, Ambassador Christian Berger said: “The strenuous efforts by the Turkish Coast Guard have been crucial in saving human lives in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean. The EU is proud to be able to contribute to the efforts of the Turkish Coast Guard through these first two state-of-the-art search and rescue vessels delivered today.”

Also attending the vessel handover, Damen Chief Products Officer Jan-Wim Dekker commented: “In close cooperation with the International Organization for Migration and Turkish Coast Guard, these vessels have been further improved and modified to Turkish Coast Guard requirements. I would like to stress once again our appreciation of the combination of the European Union, the IOM and the Turkish Coast Guard for the trust and opportunity given to us to build these search and rescue vessels.”

Dr. Alix Valenti