Builders of a specialized fireboat for Port Canaveral have released details about the high-tech vessel, which will provide marine firefighting and rescue capabilities for the Port and surrounding communities. The vessel will offer enhanced fire protection and response time capabilities to serve expanding maritime and commercial space industry operations at the Port.
The vessel was designed by Metal Shark and will have a total expected flow rate of more than 8,500 gallons per minute. It will also be equipped with conventional and dry-chemical firefighting apparatus, along with a 500-gallon foam tank with gravity fast feed capability and a Purple-K dry-chemical firefighting system.
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In addition, the ship will also have an emergency medical treatment area on board and a communications system to function as an on-scene command vessel for maritime rescue operations.
Port Canaveral’s fireboat will deliver a cruise speed in the 30-knot range and a top speed of 35 knots. It will also be fitted with twin Darley fire pumps rated at 3,000 GPM each feeding two 2,000 GPM remote operated bow monitors, a 5,000 GPM remote operated rooftop monitor, two 1,250 GPM manually operated aft deck monitors, two aft deck risers with dual 2.5” hand line connections, and dual 5” Storz hydrant outlets.
Commenting on the new ship, Dean Jones, Metal Shark’s vice president of sales for law enforcement, fire rescue, and specialty markets, said that:
From the selection and integration of firefighting systems to the layout of the vessel’s fire control center, operator input was vital and significantly influenced the vessel’s configuration. Heavy emphasis was placed on accessibility and overall ease of use, and the result is a purpose-built fire fighting machine with next-level capabilities and a crew-friendly layout that firefighters will love
The fireboat is expected to be delivered on October 2020.
