The Italian Civil Protection Department of Friuli Venezia Giulia is currently testing a novel trailerable emergency response vessel known as the TRB 4.0.
Designed and built by Udine-based shipyard Conteco, the concept brief for the 4.1-metre aluminium vessel was based on a principle of launching/recoverability from any location and in all conditions. As such, the final vessel prototype can be quickly launched and recovered in only 20 centimetres of water by a single person.
According to Conteco, this versatility, coupled with the vessel's innate portability, makes the vessel concept suitable for emergency response in marine areas lacking conventional water access ramps, such as rivers, lakes, lagoons or remote coastal areas.
Built to Italian Register (RINA) specifications, the TRB 4.0 features a planing hull, can transport up to seven passengers, and has retractable wheels/towing attachments powered by an electro-hydraulic unit. The latter features bestow the vessel with semi-amphibious capabilities, as it can be launched from one location and easily recovered at another.
Once the TRB 4.0 is ready for commercial sale, Conteco will offer several different propulsion package options, including conventional propeller outboards, jet drive outboards, and inboard diesel engines coupled to waterjets. The builder is also working on a TRB 4.0 variant that meets German notation rules regarding navigation in flooded areas.
Stefano Fermi