The un-crewed RALamander fireboat will offer in-close firefighting and ‘eye in the fire’ capability that keeps marine firefighting professionals out of harm’s way. Fires involving containers, petrochemicals, shore-side structures or vessels can be attacked more quickly in situations where toxic smoke or explosion risk may delay or even prevent manned assets from responding effectively. RALamandercan serve as a force multiplier with conventional firefighting assets, or be deployed on its own.
The Kongsberg Maritime control & communications system will feature a robust high-bandwidth, low latency wireless link to a semi-portable RALamander operator console that can be located on a manned fireboat, or other vessel of opportunity such as a tug or pilot boat. In common with other KONGSBERG autonomous control systems, the versatile architecture of RALamander’s control system will leave the door open to a range of autonomy levels, which are configurable or future-upgradable to suit the operator or port’s evolving needs.
The first in the series, the 20 m RALamander 2000, will be equipped with Fi Fi 1 capability with a total pumping capacity of 2400 m3/hr with optional foam. A retractable mast can bring one of the three monitors to a high point of attack for shipboard or dock fires. A range of auto functions is planned for firefighting, including dynamic positioning, water spray target holding, and ‘line protection’ where RALamander automatically moves back and forth along a line while directing protective spray cover on shore structures or vessels threatened by a fire. A low-profile design also makes it possible to attack under-wharf and marina fires remotely. If a burning vessel poses a threat to its surroundings, RALamander can be used to tow it a safe distance by means of its Grapnel Emergency Towing (GET) system.
RALamander’s versatility may also offer new ways to maintain and operate a port firefighting asset. Since RALamander can be operated from a safe stand-off distance during an incident, commercial entities such as tug or pilot boat operators may be in a better position to offer fire protection services to a port since personnel are less exposed to risks.
Drawing together Robert Allan Ltd.’s extensive fireboat design experience and Kongsberg Maritime’s world-leading expertise in control, communications and sensing in marine applications, RALamander 2000 represents a significant step-change and improvement in port firefighting capability and safety. With maximum flexibility built into the design from the start, the RALamander series will offer all the advantages of remotely-operated fire response in a customisable system to suit a port’s needs for capability and cost.
