MOLABO, the leading manufacturer of 48-volt high-performance drives, presents its latest success story: The Finnish shipyard Kewatec recently delivered a groundbreaking firefighting and rescue boat to the City of Kiel Fire Department equipped with an advanced hybrid waterjet propulsion system utilizing MOLABO’s Aries i50 electric motors.
The fire department’s new boat will be used for firefighting, rescue services, disaster response, and civil protection in the Kiel Canal, Kiel Fjord, and up to 10 nautical miles off the coast of Germany. The newly built RESCUE 1500 is based on Kewatec’s e-FiFi 1470 design but is powered by two 50 kW electric drives running on MOLABO’s patented 48-volt technology and two Doen waterjet drives in addition to its standard combustion engines, offering a powerful and safe platform for rescue operations.
The MOLABO 48-volt drive offers significant safety advantages compared to conventional high-voltage systems. The safe-to-touch electric drive system does not require specialised high-voltage trained personnel to install, repair or maintain the system and it reduces risk to crew members, emergency personnel, and the public while maintaining fast and efficient operational performance. The DOEN waterjet drives further enhance safety by eliminating the in-water hazard of the propeller for safer rescue and retrieval operations.
The RESCUE 1500 pairs powerful electric Doen waterjet drives powered by twin MOLABO Aries i50 motors with conventional combustion engines. Waterjets have become standard equipment on firefighting vessels because they are able to precisely position the vessel and hold station easily.
The vessel can operate in three modes: Diesel, Electric and Boost. In electric mode, the boat operates quietly and with zero emissions—ideal for missions where engine noise and vibration could inhibit search and rescue operations, impede communication on board or between vessels, or otherwise complicate the operation. The RESCUE 1500’s original contract specified that the electric drive must maintain speeds up to six knots for up to two hours during rescue operations, benchmarks which the final MOLABO-powered system easily outperformed, attaining a top speed of 6.8 knots.
In diesel mode, the RESCUE 1500’s Volvo Penta combustion engines are activated for extended missions or when operating in very demanding weather or sea conditions. In boost mode, both the electric and combustion drivetrains are activated, adding up to 3.5 knots to the vessel’s diesel mode top speed for faster response times.
With hybrid propulsion technology, the MOLABO drive-equipped rescue boat reduces CO₂ emissions and promotes sustainable mobility. The Kiel Fire Department’s new RESCUE 1500 will also reduce operational costs, including maintenance and fuel consumption.
“Safety is paramount to MOLABO – that’s why we developed the world’s first safe-to-touch high-performance electric drive,” said Adrian Patzak, COO of MOLABO GmbH. “Now the brave firefighters of Kiel have a state-of-the-art and powerful new tool to help keep the people and waterways of Kiel safe, clean and protected. We’re proud to be a part of it.”
Vessel Particulars
Length OA: 16.05 m
Hull Length: 14.67 m
Length WL:13.4 m
Beam: 4.79 m
Displacement: 23.9 t light, 25.5 t full load
Waterjets: 2 x Doen DJ172-HE 432 mm axial build with hybrid PTI
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D13-700 rated 515 kW at 2250 rpm
Gearboxes: 2 x ZF 325-1 ratio 1.459:1
Electric Motors: 2 x Molabo Aries i50
Rated: 50 kW at 4350-6500 rpm
Designed: 35 kW at 3050-6500 rpm
Neugart planetary gearbox 3:1 ratio
PTI/PTO: Carbon belt
1.422:1 drive belt ratio
Performance: 31.3 kn at 25.5 t (diesel mode)
33.5 kn at 25.5 t (boost mode)
6.8 kn at 25.5 t (electric mode)
