One of the UK’s leading aluminium vessel manufacturers, Aluminium Marine Consultants Ltd (AMC), has launched a high performance, first-in-class fire-fighting vessel, installed with a Hypro Marine steering system.

A tri-partnership agreement was signed between AMC, Naval Architect Walker Marine Design and Firefighting supplier Angloco Limited to design and build the Firefighting vessel, formally named Barracuda.
Built at AMC’s Shipyard in Cowes, Isle of Wight (UK), the Barracuda Fire-fighting vessel is the first build of a new generation of Fire-fighting vessels which has been specifically designed and built to undertake multiple roles to meet the risks and hazards of modern-day marine fire-fighting.

AMC Founder and Director, Nigel True commented that ‘the order was a vote of confidence for the UK Marine Industry, the UK economy and emerging export market for Fire-Fighting and multi-role vessels.’ The 14m vessel will deliver speeds of up to 32 knots, supply up to 4,500 litres of water per minute from three monitors and ranging up-to 120 metres and will carry a full set of fire-fighting equipment to tackle marine-based emergencies.

AMC has named its new class of vessels the ‘FiFi’ range, which an abbreviation of ‘Fire-fighting’. This state-of-the-art range offers a diverse array of configurations with both mono hull and catamaran; all the vessels have proven sea-keeping abilities with proven hull design with propulsion type to suit the task needs.

The vessels have the options of waterjets, conventional propellers, Voith Linear jets and hybrid propulsion, with firefighting performance to meet the risk of the individual operators. This allows the range of vessels to offer high-performance for any marine-based emergencies and which can be supplied to type and classification approval and to meet NFPA 1925 and DNV Fi Fi regulations.

For operator versatility and flexibility, the 16 metre to 23 metre vessels have the option to be supplied with a system of demountable containers, called PODs. The PODs can be built in many configurations from open flatbed to a four-sided container, with canvas sides or multiple doors. The roles that the PODs can carry out can be suited to meet the necessary risk needs assessment and include functionalities such as drone operations, search & rescue and breathing apparatus support.

After safely being delivered to Customer Angloco Limited, who has recently celebrated a 50th anniversary milestone for designing, manufacturing and supplying special purpose fire-fighting and rescue vehicles and equipment in over 50 countries world-wide, the vessel has now commenced its export journey to Guyana, South America. Angloco commented, “The New Fireboat has exceeded expectations and offers amazing performance and design.”