Riding the Waves: Hong Kong’s New Self-Balancing Firefighting Boat Set to Revolutionize Maritime Emergency Response

The Hong Kong Fire Department has recently commissioned a new self-balancing firefighting boat that can recover after capsizing within seconds. Built by Lungteh shipyard in Taiwan, this vessel is considered the world’s largest self-righting firefighting boat and will be used for maritime research and rescue operations in Hong Kong waters.

The 35-40 meter long vessel, weighing about 200 tons, will undergo several months of testing at To Ao port in Nghi Lan district and crew training before it is officially put into use. Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction and handover process of the firefighting ship has been ongoing.

The new addition to the Hong Kong Fire Department’s fleet aims to enhance their capabilities in responding to emergencies and conducting rescue operations at sea. Over the past few years, the number of emergency accidents in Hong Kong’s eastern seaboard has been increasing, prompting the need for a new ship model to strengthen maritime search and rescue activities in rough sea conditions.

Lungteh Shipyard, with a history dating back to 1979, specializes in producing medium-speed vessels and has built many ships for various government agencies in Hong Kong. In addition to the new firefighting ship, authorities plan to add two command ships to replace existing ones over the next few years. This move aims to further enhance their capabilities in responding to emergencies and conducting rescue operations at sea.

The self-righting function of the ship allows for continued rescue and firefighting operations even in challenging conditions, improving the protection of firefighters on board and enhancing mobility in adverse weather. The boat will be named “Fire Fighting Boat 12” when it arrives in Hong Kong by June 2024 after completing trials at the factory.

In conclusion, this new addition to the Hong Kong Fire Department’s fleet represents a significant investment towards enhancing their capabilities in responding to emergencies and conducting rescue operations at sea. With its advanced features such as self-righting capability, this vessel will undoubtedly improve safety measures for firefighters on board while providing them with enhanced mobility during adverse weather conditions.