The first of five new fisheries patrol vessels has been delivered to the Welsh government by Mainstay Marine Solutions. The 26 metre new FPV is named after former First Minister Rhodri Morgan and was christened at the end of last year before being delivered this month to Milford Marina.
FPV Rhodri Morgan was officially named at the end of last year by Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, and it is planned to form part of the fleet patrolling Welsh waters. The other four vessels are to be named FPV Lady Megan, FPV Catrin, FPV Gwenllian and FPV Siwan.
‘It’s an honour to be able to name this vessel after Rhodri Morgan; a man who gave so much to Wales and left an indelible mark on our history. This will be a fitting tribute to someone who had a great love of the Welsh seas and our wonderful nature,’ said Lesley Griffiths.
‘These vessels will be at the forefront of protecting Welsh waters and our fishing industry, providing a high speed response capability to ensure Wales continues to effectively enforce fisheries and marine laws. Ahead of the challenges that we face in a post-Brexit world, it is more important than ever that we focus on sustainability and ensuring our fishing industry is at its strongest possible so we can thrive in the years to come.’
FPV Rhodri Morgan measures 26.60 metre overall, with a beam of 6.20 metres and a 1.85 metre draft. It has been built by Mainstay Marine Solutions in an all-welded heavy-duty aluminium construction. The twin engines are Caterpillar C32s with a 3200hp total output, driving Twindisc MGX5146RV Quickshift gearboxes to turn twin fixed pitch propellers with a top speed of 25 knots. Additional electrical power can be supplied by the two Kohler 18kW gensets.
Tank capacities are for 11,000 litres of fuel and 2000 litres of fresh water.
FPV Rhodri Morgan has been fitted out with twin radars, a wideband sounder, Olex plotter, ECDIS chart display, three GPS sets and a vessel data recorder, as well as a communications package that includes two VHF sets, Inmarsat Sat C, Inmarsat Fleet broadband, loudhailer, intercom, handheld VHF, CCTV, AIS-SART and EPIRB.
A 6.50 metre RIB can be deployed with hydraulic winch and retrieved with a Camarc RIB recovery system.
Deck equipment includes a deck crane with a 400° rotation and a 600kg/7.5 metre capacity, as well as a pot hauler and anchor windlass.
Accommodation is for up to eight in four two-berth cabins.
