Marine Rescue Batemans Bay Taree Launch of new vessel

by Ken McManus on 18 Feb 2011 Marine Rescue Batemans Bay - Commissioner Glenn Finniss of Marine Rescue NSW, will join Marine Rescue volunteers, including Board members and representatives from Batemans Bay unit on Tuesday 22nd February at Steber International in Taree for the launch of their new rescue vessel.

This will be Marine Rescue’s first new major offshore rescue vessel - a fast response Steber 38 with deployment capability for up to 30 nautical miles offshore.

The new vessel, Marine Rescue BM 30, is the first of several to be ordered from internationally successful NSW boat builder, Steber International of Taree. This will be the second Steber commissioned into the Marine Rescue fleet which has had a Steber 28 in service at Marine Rescue Broken Bay since 2009.

Marine Rescue NSW has embarked on a demanding replacement program for an ageing fleet of more than 70 craft to provide the NSW recreational boating community with a fleet of modern, Australian-built rescue vessels and ensure the volunteers have the right equipment for rescue work.

Over 5,000 working hours have gone into the construction of BM 30 involving shipwrights, electricians, upholsterers, marine engineers, cabinet makers, fiberglass laminators and apprentices. That has made an important contribution to the local economy and development of local skills.

BM 30 is equipped with state-of-the-art Raymarine navigation, Icom marine radio electronics, Furuno AIS (Automatic Identification System), FLIR night vision and advanced first aid equipment including Australian Defibrillators cardiac defibrillator and oxygen therapy.

BM 30 will be stationed at Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast as part of a strategically located safety net of offshore vessels covering the NSW coastline.

At the launch will be Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Glenn Finniss, together with Jim Glissan QC, Chairman of the Board of Marine Rescue NSW; Kay Cottee AO, Patron; Peter Phillipson ESM, Director for Hunter/Central Coast and Marine Rescue Fleet Manager; Alan Steber, Managing Director of Steber International and representatives from Marine Rescue Batemans Bay and other units.

Other agencies that have also chosen Steber include NSW Water Police, NSW Fisheries, NSW Maritime and Australian Customs as well as numerous private commercial operators.

While additional funding from the NSW government and contributions from the boat licences and registrations of the state’s boating community, has made it possible to acquire this vessel, Marine Rescue NSW still needs to raise close to $7 million a year to match these funds to achieve the total budget of $14 million needed to run the service.

BM 30 will be transported by road from Steber International at 1.30pm on Tuesday 22nd and travel to the Manning River at Endeavour Place, Queen Elizabeth Park off the end of Stevenson Street, Taree. It will arrive there at approx 2pm for a 15 minute lift by crane into the water and its formal launch ceremony.

The vessel will then take its maiden run travelling several times up and down the river past the launch point. After this it will be berthed and spend about two weeks undergoing sea trials then she will travel to her home port of Batemans Bay.

Steber has arranged for Batemans Bay crews to oversee installation of the motors of the second Steber being built. This will give these volunteers a thorough understanding of the mechanics and procedures involved to maintain their vessel in first class condition.

www.marinerescuensw.com.au