$24.5m invested in safety promise to crews

$24.5m invested in safety promise to crews Largest vessel emerges in new livery as transformation nears completion.

Marine Rescue NSW is continuing to build a fleet that is the envy of rescue services throughout Australia and beyond.

More than $24.5 million has now been invested in the fleet over 11 years.

New Naiad vessels have been delivered to the Sussex Inlet, Port Kembla, Lemon Tree Passage, Tuggerah Lakes, Merimbula and Newcastle units this financial year, at a total cost of $2 million.

The 100th vessel added to the fleet under the landmark MRNSW Fleet Modernisation Progam, the former NSW Police vessel Fearless, is undergoing a $650,000 refit and facelift ahead of its delivery to the new MR Lord Howe Island unit.

The 16m boat, now Lord Howe 40, is the largest in the fleet, with a range of 200 nautical miles.

Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the organisation’s momentum on the water was being maintained, with new vessels also due for delivery to the Jervis Bay and Broken Bay units in coming weeks and a continuing build schedule mapped out for the coming financial year.

“This work has been boosted by the State Government’s $37.6 million capital injection, which includes funding for 38 new vessels,” he said.

Other fleet improvements include the recent refurbishment of Batemans 30 and the delivery of Rescue Water Craft to Narooma and Nambucca, with MR Brunswick soon to deploy RWCs as a rapid response resource on its hazardous bar.

Commissioner Tannos said the quality of the MRNSW rescue fleet was unparallleled.

“Our boats are designed and built specifically to handle the heavy operational workload of search and rescue, whether offshore, on coastal bars or confined inshore waterways,” he said. “Safety is always our highest priority and our

We got a bigger boat ... MRNSW livery is added to former NSW Police vessel Fearless during its make-over to become Lord Howe 40.

investment of $24.5 million is proof that we are continuing to deliver on our promise to equip our volunteers with modern, safe and reliable vessels.”

MRNSW boat builders are concentrated on the North Coast but with COVID-19 restrictions limiting flights to the region, Fleet Manager Kelvin Parkin has spent hours on the road for his regular visits to oversee vessel builds and undertake sea trials with Yamba Welding & Engineering, which produces the various model Naiads in the fleet.

He has made routine inspections of progress on the build of the $850,000 Jervis Bay 40 at new MRNSW boat builder Harwood Marine and Lord Howe 40, being refurbished at Birdon Marine at Port Macquarie.

The new JB 40 is the first to be crafted for MRNSW by Harwood Marine.

The 13.5m aluminium monohull is a prototype for MRNSW and will replace the current JB 40, a 13.5m Steber approaching the end of its operational life.

Mr Parkin said the extensive work on Lord Howe 40 included

The new Jervis Bay 40, a 13m aluminium monohull prototype for MRNSW, being prepared for side hull plating at Harwood Marine.

gutting the interior, building a new wheelhouse console, renewing the fly bridge console, installing a full suite of Raymarine electronics, a mechanical overhaul and replacing bearings and corroded plates.

As part of a survey renewal, the shafts and propellers have been removed, aligned and inspected.

“The hull will be blasted, antifoul removed and the superstructure painted before the vessel is relaunched in our livery,” he said.

Mr Parkin said MRNSW was moving to more environmentally friendly and sustainable anti-foul protection, Jotun SeaQuantum Ultra, which would be applied to both LH 40 and JB 40.

“It is designed to last for longer on idle days and the formula deters growth and supports a longer life, which maintains the fuel efficiency of these larger vessels,” he said.