VESSEL REVIEW | UK builder delivers compact fire/rescue craft for harbour waters

UK boatbuilder Aluminium Marine Consultants (AMC) recently delivered a new emergency response craft to an operator in the UAE.

Designed by UK-based Walker Marine Design (WMD), the aluminium monohull vessel will take on roles including firefighting, search and rescue, humanitarian and disaster relief, and casualty evacuation.

“The vessel has been designed with daily use in mind, capable of speeds of 30 knots, which enables it to switch to emergency action at a moment’s notice,” AMC told Baird Maritime. “The firefighting equipment aboard allows the crew to fight fires at a range of 50 metres (160 feet), making it ideal for marinas and harbours.”

The vessel has been engineered to support marine, harbour, and fire services in risk mitigation. AMC said its versatile design allows daily operational use by local marine and harbour authorities, with emergency response capabilities activated as needed.

“The vessel's shared usage model reduces costs for local operators and emergency services, eliminating the need for extensive specialised training and ongoing competency maintenance. Its intuitive controls and low training burden make it ideal for mixed-skill crews or shared-agency use.”

Designed for multi-role use from the outset

The multifunctional design enables the vessel to serve dual roles, either as a dedicated firefighting vessel or as a mobile pumping unit. Its integrated systems facilitate rapid response to fire incidents, both at sea and in port environments, ensuring comprehensive safety coverage and resource management.

“The vessel’s advanced firefighting equipment and adaptable features make it a critical asset in maritime safety operations, capable of addressing a wide range of emergency scenarios with efficiency and reliability,” added AMC. “To our knowledge, no other harbours currently operate a vessel of this type, making it a pioneering solution for on-water fire response.”

The designer said that with boat fires occurring more frequently compared to before, the vessel was designed using its knowledge in fire services and following collaboration with with marina and harbour authorities in various countries.

The newbuild has an LOA of 8.4 metres (28 feet), a moulded beam of 2.5 metres (8.2 feet), a maximum draught of only 0.4 metre (1.3 feet), and space for two crewmembers plus five additional personnel including a patient on a stretcher. A Cummins QSB6.7 313kW (420hp) inboard engine drives an Alamarin AJ285 waterjet via a ZF 280 gearbox.

Advanced fire detection sensors for quick response

“The integration of the Cummins QSB6.7 with the Alamarin AJ285 waterjet was specifically engineered to maximise responsiveness in confined environments,” said AMC. “The AJ285’s vector thrust and rapid acceleration allow the vessel to maintain full manoeuvrability even during high-demand pump operations, something not typically achievable in vessels of this size.

“Additionally, the propulsion system was tuned to deliver consistent performance under the variable loads created by firefighting operations. This included calibrating the engine and jet interaction so the vessel could maintain positional stability while delivering high-volume water output – a critical capability during alongside firefighting and harbour manoeuvres.”

The vessel is equipped with an integrated navigation and situational awareness suite built around a multifunction display system. The electronics include an AIS, a chartplotter, and thermal imaging sensors to ensure safe operations during night-time, low-visibility, or high-risk emergency response.

“A dedicated incident-management console links pump controls, engine data, and navigation inputs into a unified interface, allowing a single operator to manage manoeuvring and firefighting simultaneously,” AMC told Baird Maritime. “The communications equipment includes a dual-band VHF radio, an internal crew intercom, and interoperability channels for coordination with marina, harbour, and fire service teams.”

The builder said one notable innovation is the integration of pump telemetry and firefighting controls directly into the helm displays. This reduces crew workload and eliminates the need for separate pump stations or additional crew during critical response situations.

“Thermal imaging integration also enhances firefighting effectiveness by allowing the crew to identify heat sources, hotspots, and structural risks from the water capabilities usually reserved for larger or more specialised fireboats,” said AMC. “The system is purpose-built for shared-use agencies, favouring intuitive, menu light interfaces and rapid-access controls.”

The vessel is equipped with firefighting systems designed to ensure safety and operational efficiency. It features an FFS 300 diesel fire pump capable of delivering a flow rate of 5,000 litres (1,000 gallons) per minute at a range of 50 metres, enabling effective initial suppression of fires.

Additionally, the vessel is fitted with dual Delta Fire monitors positioned at the front, ensuring enhanced firefighting capabilities by providing targeted water delivery during emergency situations. All firefighting systems are positioned for rapid deployment and minimal crew fatigue, with intuitive controls and clear sightlines.

Can act as backup water source for onshore firefighting

To support onshore firefighting efforts, the vessel includes two hydrant outlets, allowing it to supply water directly to fire appliances onshore. This configuration replaces the need for a dedicated fire appliance within harbour areas, thereby increasing operational flexibility. The vessel is capable of supplying water over considerable distances to receiving fire appliances, further augmenting its firefighting versatility.

“The vessel’s advanced firefighting equipment and adaptable features make it a critical asset in maritime safety operations, capable of addressing a wide range of emergency scenarios,” said AMC.

The vessel also features stretcher space and a modular rescue kit station for supporting casualty evacuation and first response. A fall-rest rail system allows the crew to clip in during high-mobility tasks, enhancing safety during firefighting or rescue operations.

For AMC, weight distribution and hull shaping to ensure the vessel could meet the speeds required posed a challenge during the design work.

“Integrating systems like the fire pump, navigation equipment, stretcher space and rescue kit into a small footprint demanded modular thinking to allow the best use of the layout space,” the builder told Baird Maritime. “We also had to ensure that firefighting operations wouldn’t compromise vessel stability or manoeuvrability, especially in confined harbour spaces.”

In working with WMD, AMC found that fitting all the essential items into tighter spatial constraints (compared to typical builds) required creative system integration and careful sequencing during outfitting.

“It was a challenge, but one we have learnt from. Due to how the vessel will be operating, the aluminium was carefully welded and braced to withstand repeated high-speed manoeuvres and handle the weight of the additional fire pumps.

“We also wanted to build this vessel to be cost-effective to the end user, as we believe every marina and harbour should have one. Juggling trying to keep costs low yet not compromising safety or performance was a challenge. We had to ensure that the fire pump’s weight and vibration profile didn’t interfere with hull dynamics or crew comfort.”

For AMC, the project reinforced the value of early modular planning, especially when integrating multiple mission-critical systems into a compact platform.

“By developing a more adaptable internal framework, we were able to future-proof the layout for different equipment configurations and varying operational roles. We also gained deeper insight into the interplay between high-output fire pumps and small vessel hull dynamics.”

The performance modelling and vibration-mitigation work from this build will directly inform future rapid-response platforms, allowing AMC to optimise pump positioning, structural reinforcement, and noise/comfort levels even further.

“The collaboration with international marina and harbour authorities also highlighted the importance of designing vessels for mixed-skill agencies, not just specialist crews. This will continue to shape our approach to intuitive control layouts, low training barriers, and shared-use operational models in future builds.”