Rush of contracts for Kewatec
The Kewatec shipyard in Finland is busy with a rush of contracts that are spreading its list of clients into Europe. An important contract has come from the German fishery authorities for a patrol boat and this complements contracts from Scandinavian countries.
The German contract is for a 15 metre long fast patrol boat that will be used to patrol the coastal waters of the Baltic coast of Germany and the boat will be used for both research and enforcement. Power comes from a pair of Volvo Penta D8 diesel engines that are coupled to Rolls Royce water jets to give an operational speed of 35 knots. The boat is based on one of Kewatec’s standard hull designs and will be fitted with a large flexibly mounted wheelhouse that still leaves a good area of deck space for handling fishery equipment. Delivery is scheduled for October 2018.
Swedish owners have contracted Kewatec to build a 13.7 metre long ambulance/rescue boat that will operate at the city of Landskrona. This boat will also be powered by Volvo Penta diesels but in this case they will be coupled to IPS Drives also from Volvo Penta. Scheduled for delivery in May 2018, this boat will also be equipped for fire-fighting with a fire pump, fire cannon and thermal imaging equipment installed.
This design is based on one of the builder’s passenger vessel designs to create a large area for handling ambulance cases. It will have a raised wheelhouse at the forward end with the water cannon on the aft deck.
Also for Swedish owners the yard has a contract to build a practical workboat for ABT Rederi in Stockholm. This 15 metre vessel is again based on one of the yard’s standard designs that is laid out in landing craft style with a ramp at the bow. The deck in reinforced to enable the craft to carry construction equipment that can be discharged over the bow ramp. A hydraulic crane will be installed on the starboard side of the forward working deck to allow cargoes to be discharged.
Currently the yard is working through a contract to build three 18 metre long pilot boats for Norwegian pilot boat operator Busker og Berging with the first of these scheduled for delivery shortly. These boats will be powered by a pair of 700 hp Volvo Penta diesels which unusually for a pilot boat will be coupled to IPS propulsion units to give a top speed of 35 knots.
This is a newly developed design from the yard and there is an option in the contract for a further pair of these boats. The contract for the first three vessels is valued at €6 million.
By Dag Pike
