Marell Boats has been awarded a new contract to supply five fast patrolling and interceptor vessels to the Norwegian Police. They will be delivered during the third quarter of this year until the first quarter of 2023, to five different locations in the south of Norway. The M12 RIB is the most recent model introduced by the Swedish shipyard. The aim is to further extend the model program toward the law enforcement segment.
The M12 RIB is designed as a modern high-speed patrol boat, constructed in lightweight and strong materials with a fuel-efficient aluminum hull. The combination of the central helm station with an almost absent planing threshold, provides the helmsman with full control and good visibility 360 degrees at all speeds and in all conditions.
This new model is based on Marell’s successful and proven M15 platform that was awarded the “Interceptor of the year” by the Baird publication, in both 2019 and 2020. The M15 platform was selected as a patrol vessel by the Marine Police in Stockholm and as a firefighter craft by the Greater Stockholm Fire Department, as well as a sightseeing boat by Hurtigruten Svalbard.
“This is one of the best high-performance crafts we have built. With the Marell M12 RIB we are introducing a new patrol boat model to law enforcement customers around the world. We are excited to work in close collaboration with the Norwegian Police in this prestigious project. ”, Says Patrik Söderholm, founder and CEO of Marell Boats.
These medium-sized patrol boats will be used by the Norwegian Police for patrolling and assignments such as surveillance, search & rescue, boarding and control of recreational boats. It will also be used as a training platform for police personnel in boat handling and navigation. Each boat will be able to carry up to 10 people and operational equipment.
“Marell Boats has offered a robust boat, which in this procurement process best fulfilled the specifications published by NPSS. For example, the boat facilitates close cooperation between the helmsman and navigator during high-speed maneuvering. It also delivers the best ratio of speed to load capacity. We expect this to be a solid addition to the Norwegian Police in the years to come “, says Marianne Haahjem, Department Director for Procurement and Legal in the Norwegian Police Shared Services.
The wheelhouse provides space for two crew members at the front, seated in Ullman suspension seats, and for eight passengers seated in jockey seats behind. In the front of the cabin there is a seating area with a toilet and a small pantry. The boat has a wide beam, which allows easy passage on both sides of the wheelhouse, from bow to stern. The low aft deck is particularly suitable for divers, drones, and life rafts while also being an effective platform for hoisting and retrieving injured people.
The canopy is made of vacuum molded GRP to reduce weight and noise, and to insulate the crew area from the effects of both cold and warm weather. The novelty of this design approach makes the craft suitable for both arctic and tropical conditions.
These M12 RIBs will be equipped with a twin-engine set-up including the new Mercury 600HP V12 Verado engines, providing high propulsion efficiency over the entire speed range. The engine set-up will produce high-speed performance above 55 knots.
These five Marell M12 RIBs will be custom-made for the Norwegian Police, however the M12 RIB can also be designed for other government as well as commercial or recreational customers. In addition to the RIB model, the M12 can also be configured as a Patrol, SAR, Crew or Tour boat for government and commercial customers alternatively as a Tender or Custom boat for recreational customers.
This was the latest model introduction by Marell Boats, with additional M12 extensions and new model releases planned for later this year.
Source: Marell Boats & www.di.se
