KEY DEALS

First of three patrol boats for German police

18 years ago

Fassmer in Germany has delivered Falshöft, the first of three 27.2m coastal patrol boats for local police and part of an order for six vessels of different sizes placed in 2006.

The 6.36m wide

Falshöft

is for the Schleswig Holstein Waterways Police (WSP) and is based on previous boats delivered to other German coastal authorities. It draws 1.6m, displaces 71 tons and is classed GL+ 100 A5 E OC 2 HSDE Patrol Boat (+) MC.

Falshöft

is powered by two MTU Type 10 V 2000 M 72 diesels, each of 900 kW and driving a fixed Schaffran FPP 840mm diameter propeller over ZF 3000 A gearboxes featuring ZF Autoroll. The configuration provides a maximum 24 knots, although Fassmer noted a top speed of more than 25 knots during sea trials. The boat also has a 490mm diameter Kraeft bow thruster of 6kN, driven by the propulsion plant.

The boat carries a 5.4m dinghy. Hull and superstructure are of marine aluminium and the vessel has a crew of five, which can be increased.

Falshöft replaces a 42 year old WSP boat of the same name. The two sisters are due for delivery next year and in 2010. Along with that trio, the WSP ordered two 18m long, 4.95m wide boats in 2006, all for service in the Baltic. The two 18m boats were delivered midway through last year. Also ordered in 2006 was a 34m long, 7m wide patrol boat for delivery in 2009 for service in the North Sea.

All the boats are part of a renewal programme up to 2013 billed as the biggest ever in Schleswig Holstein. But the WSP has not ordered all its boats locally. Finland’s Sarins Batar Shipyard has built smaller 10.4m by 3.4m Type Minor 34 MPV port/waterway police boats for them with speeds of more than 33 knots.

By Tom Todd