Anaheim-based Willard Marine said Jan. 26 that it has delivered a SOLAS 670 rescue boat to the U.S. Army to serve aboard the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge McFarland in Philadelphia.
The 22-foot SOLAS rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) is outfitted with a Volvo Penta D3 220-hp inboard engine paired with a Hamilton Jet HJ2274 waterjet and performs at speeds of up to 26.5 knots and accommodates nine passengers, according to Willard Marine.
Also, a Cranston Eagle single-point lifting frame is incorporated into the rescue boat for a more dynamic launch and recovery system. Safety features include a self-righting frame and a 40-ounce, UV-resistant polyurethane collar with a reinforced rub strake.
The USACE dredge McFarland maintains the navigation channel of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, and is made available for federal dredge navigation projects on the US East and Gulf coasts.
For over 10 years, Willard Marine has built SOLAS 670 vessels for agencies across the United States, including the Military Sealift Command, Maersk, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US Navy.
“In an emergency at sea, people need a rescue boat they can count on,” Willard Marine President and CEO Ulrich Gottschling said. “That’s why military agencies and large maritime operations consistently choose Willard Marine, the only American manufacturer of SOLAS fast rescue boats.”
Willard Marine, the sole American manufacturer of SOLAS rescue boats, has developed watercraft for the US military, Department of Homeland Security, foreign governments, law enforcement agencies, search-and-rescue organizations and private companies since 1957.
