Zodiac Milpro will deliver 21 RHIBs and 17 Inshore Rescue Boats to the Irish Coast Guard, with the first vessels expected to enter service in 2027
The Irish Coast Guard has awarded two major contracts to Zodiac Milpro for the design, construction and delivery of 38 new search and rescue vessels, representing a €14 million investment in strengthening Ireland’s maritime emergency response capability.
The fleet renewal programme will see 21 new Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and 17 Inshore Rescue Boats (IRBs) supplied to Coast Guard units across Ireland.
The contracts form part of the Irish Coast Guard’s Stewardship – Leading Together Transformation Programme, supporting the modernisation of its operational fleet and enhancing the equipment available to Coast Guard volunteers and personnel responding to emergencies around the country’s coastline.
Designed to meet the demanding requirements of modern search and rescue operations, the new vessels will provide Coast Guard teams with updated capabilities to support their work in challenging coastal and inshore environments.
The first vessels are expected to be delivered in 2027, with the remaining boats entering service through a phased delivery programme running until 2031.
The new fleet is expected to enhance operational capability, reliability and resilience across the Irish Coast Guard, providing units with modern, purpose-designed vessels capable of operating in challenging maritime environments.
The procurement has been shaped by the experience of Coast Guard personnel on the frontline, with end users playing a central role in defining the operational requirements and technical specifications for the new boats.
Their input has helped ensure that the vessels reflect the practical realities faced by volunteer boat crews responding to incidents at sea and along the coast.
Minister of State with responsibility for the Irish Coast Guard, Seán Canney, welcomed the contract awards, describing them as an important commitment to the future of the service. “This contract award demonstrates the Government’s commitment to investing in and enhancing our maritime search and rescue service. The new Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats and Inshore Rescue Boats will provide enhanced capability and resilience ensuring that Irish Coast Guard units are equipped to meet the challenges of the future.”
“The process to renew our rescue assets has benefitted from ongoing input from Irish Coast Guard volunteers and staff under the Stewardship – Leading Together Transformation Programme and I look forward to seeing the new vessels enter service and serve coastal communities into the future.”
Mark McCarthy, a boat crew member with Schull Coast Guard Unit, said the experience of Coast Guard personnel around the country had been incorporated into the design of the new generation of vessels. “As volunteers, we rely on our boats whenever we answer a call out for assistance in challenging weather and sea conditions. The design for the new generation of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats and Inshore Rescue Boats incorporates the experience of Irish Coast Guard units around the country. These new vessels will help ensure we can continue to respond safely and effectively when people need our assistance most.”
The emphasis on frontline experience is a key element of the fleet renewal programme, with the new boats intended to support crews carrying out lifesaving work in some of the most demanding conditions encountered around Ireland’s coastline.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), through its Spot Buying Team, played a key role in supporting the Irish Coast Guard throughout the technically complex procurement process.
Working alongside Coast Guard personnel, the team provided specialist expertise from the development of operational requirements and technical specifications through to procurement strategy, competitive tendering, evaluation and final contract award.
The collaboration brought together the OGP’s procurement expertise with the operational knowledge of Coast Guard staff and volunteers, helping deliver the two contracts under the wider fleet renewal programme.
Zodiac Milpro President Guillaume Laurin also acknowledged the role played by Coast Guard crews in protecting lives along Ireland’s coastline. “Behind every rescue mission are dedicated people working to protect lives, often in the most challenging conditions. We have great respect for the commitment of the Irish Coast Guard crews and the vital role they play in keeping people safe along Ireland’s coastline. Through this partnership, Zodiac Milpro is pleased to bring its expertise to their service, providing high-performance vessels designed to support their crews when it matters most.”
The new RHIBs and IRBs will enter operational service gradually, supported by comprehensive testing, training and implementation programmes. The phased introduction is intended to ensure a smooth transition to the new fleet while maintaining operational readiness and the uninterrupted delivery of search and rescue services around Ireland.
For the volunteer crews who launch in difficult weather, respond to calls for assistance and work to bring people home safely, the investment will provide a new generation of rescue assets to support that lifesaving mission well into the next decade.
