China: Wang Tak Shipbuilding Delivers New RAnger 4600 Class Fireboat

Recently, the new RAnger 4600 Class Fireboat, Guan Xiao Er Hao was delivered to the Dongguan Fire Services Department, China by the builder Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Hong Kong. This latest in the RAnger series of fireboats was designed by Naval Architects Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, Canada.

Guan Xiao Er Hao (which simply means “Dongguan Fireboat Number 2”) is a 46 metre, twin screw, diesel-powered fireboat; specifically designed for marine and shore-side fire fighting and offshore rescue in the Pearl River Estuary, the Pearl River and the Dongguan region harbour environment.

This fireboat has been designed to perform a wide variety of tasks, including:

Safety Service & fire-fighting standby in the PetroChemical Industrial Zone on Dongguan Lisha Island

Fire-fighting operations at offshore installations and in rivers and ports in the area

Supply of land fire mains

Search & Rescue Operations

Initial salvage response

Incident Command Centre

Guan Xiao Er Hao has the following particulars:

Length Overall – 46.42 metres (excluding fenders)

Beam, Moulded – 11.70 metres

Depth, Moulded – 5.15 metres

Maximum Draft – 3.65 metres

Capacities are as follows:

Fuel Oil – 110 m³

Potable Water – 24 m³

Fi-Fi Foam – 61 m³

Water Ballast – 40 m³

The Propulsion machinery consists of a pair of Caterpillar 3516B-HD diesel engines, each rated 1864 bkW at 1600 rpm. They each drive a 2000 mm diameter fixed pitch propeller.

Electrical power is supplied by a pair of Caterpillar C18 DITA diesel gensets, each rated 350 kW.

The Fire-fighting equipment for the new fireboat, all of which was supplied by FFS (headquartered in Moss, Norway) is effectively to a Fi-Fi 2 International standard and comprises the following:

Fire Pumps:

3 FFS 500/400-80 pumps rated at 3600 m³/h at 146 mlc

Fire Monitors:

1 x FFS 3600 with water capacity of 3600 m³/hr

2 x FFS 2400/600 with water capacity of 2400 m³/hr and foam output capacity of 600m³/hr

2 x FFS 600/150 with water capacity of 600 m³/hr and foam capacity of 150 m³/hr

2 x FFS 600 with water capacity of 600 m³/hr

The Fi-Fi system includes:

Combined remote and manual operated fire-fighting monitors

Foam system: 2 x foam injection pumps and 6 x foam proportioners

Deck outlets: 14 x 80 mm deckheads for water/foam delivery; and 2 x 300 mm outlets for delivery to landside (when vessel functions as pump station)

Water deluge system using FFS nozzles

On trials, the new fireboat achieved 16 knots and exceeded all performance expectations.

The RAnger class of fireboats are available in a wide range of lengths and Fi-Fi capacity. These designs are generally intended to be used as the starting point for each new fireboat design, in response to each port’s unique operational needs.

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Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, December 5, 2011; Image: ral