PALFINGER to Build RHIBs for the Netherlands' KNRM

MarineLink January 25, 2022

Picture (from left to right): On January 20, the contract was signed by Gert-Jan Wijker (Head of Technical Service at KNRM), Arnoud Straakenbroek (Sales Director Governmental and Professional Boats and Davits at PALFINGER), Jacob Tas (General Director of the KNRM) and Alexander Schouten (Global Sales Director Boats and Davits at PALFINGER) at the PALFINGER office in Harderwijk, the Netherlands. (Photo: PALFINGER)

PALFINGER announced it has been awarded a contract by the Dutch rescue organization Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM) for 12 custom-built rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), which will assist the organization during future rescue operations. The official contract signing took place on January 20 at PALFINGER's production facility in Harderwijk, the Netherlands, where the boats will be manufactured.

The KNRM helps people in distress at sea, 24 hours a day, with around 1,400 volunteers on duty more than 2,000 times a year. It currently has a fleet of 75 boats.

PALFINGER is working with the Dutch rescue organization to develop a completely new 7.5-meter-long, twin outboard aluminum RHIB. The custom-built boats will each have room for three crew members and 12 rescued people. Each will feature robust hull construction and a wave-breaking bow, as well as two Yamaha VMAX 115-horsepower four-stroke engines to give the lifeboat a speed of at least 32 knots.

The first RHIB is scheduled to leave the shipyard in Harderwijk at the end of 2022. The KNRM will intensively test the boat against the defined quality criteria. If the boat meets all expectations and is approved by the KNRM, PALFINGER will start building the remaining 11 boats. The last RHIB will be delivered in 2028.

Arnoud Straakenbroek, sales director govermental and professional boats and davits at PALFINGER, said, “Besides quality and safety, we will pay special attention in the development phase to improving ergonomics in order to minimize physical strain fatigue of the KNRM rescuers during use in these rough conditions. We are very much looking forward to the cooperation with the KNRM and at the same time proud that we can name this prestigious organization as a user of PALFINGER’s high-quality boats in our references.”

Jacob Tas, general director of the KNRM, said, "For the KNRM, reliability, safety and quality of our equipment is very important because our rescuers voluntarily risk their lives for others. We are confident that with the 7.5 meter RHIB, which PALFINGER will produce, we offer our rescuers the best boat in this class.”