49 Foot Ice Capable Self-Righting Boat

Estonian builder Baltic Workboats has delivered a newbuild vessel to Szczecin Pilot, a Polish harbour pilots’ association that operates primarily in the Szczecin-Swinoujscie region.

Baird Maritime brings us a report on a boat with characteristics very similar to a Motor Lifeboat, but with an additional capability I had not even thought about for this type vessel until now. It is ice capable.

“The hull is reinforced to withstand light ice conditions relevant to the southern Baltic and Danish waters, a necessity for the vessel’s operational area of Poland’s Świnoujście and Szczecin harbours. She can handle 30 centimetres (about 12 inches–Chuck) of broken ice or five centimetres (about 2 inches–Chuck) solid ice at up to five knots.”

The boat’s surface piercing bow design is claimed to reduce vertical acceleration 40% and improve fuel economy up to 30%.

Dimensions are:

Length: 14.95 m (49′)
Beam: 4.5 m (14’9″)
Draft: 1.33 m (4’4″)

Max Speed: 27 knots

The wheelhouse offers nearly 360-degree visibility. The captain has a center position with uninterrupted views of the deck and boarding areas with additional skylight windows.

6 thoughts on “49 Foot Ice Capable Self-Righting Boat”

Baltic Work Boats US subsidiary has an interesting product portfolio
https://balticworkboatsus.com/vessels/

The Estonian parent company’s portfolio adds some additional craft types
https://bwb.ee/vessels/

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With all the talk of many WAGBs being built, I kept thinking about the Arctic Survey Boats they carry, which will certainly need replacing. They are designed with a blunt bow and ramp for beach landing shore parties, but there are alternatives to getting research party’s equipment ashore. I’ve often thought a high-freeboard, ice-reinforced LARC would be a better design for landing research parties and their equipment, and boats like this as a cutter boat for the WAGBs.

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Yes, it seems as the Danish lods use something similar. Danpilot. In Denmark it is all about reducing the number of people, and this seems to reduce the required personnel to one to drive the boat.

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