As Poslovni writes, the first Croatian boat from the series contracted as early as 2021, produced as part of the Search and Rescue (SAR) project for emergency medical interventions at sea and on islands, passed extremely complex tests at the request of the Ministry of Health as the customer.
Intended for Dubrovnik
Built from aluminum alloys in ideal conditions, it reaches a maximum speed of almost 35 miles per hour. With a hull length of 15 meters, the boat can sail as the only means of transport in conditions where even helicopters cannot fly. It is practically unsinkable.
This is its main characteristic – when it capsizes, it stands up again, and not a drop of water enters the cabin, so it is equipped with modern medical equipment and forms the first and most important ‘link’ in the establishment of emergency maritime medical services in the Republic of Croatia. According to the latest information, it is intended for Dubrovnik.
The achievement brings multiple benefits for the builder Iskra Shipyard 1 in Šibenik, including references for new business on the international market. And the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, as the client, can count on, in addition to the delivery of the first boat announced by the end of the month, the orderly delivery of five more SAR boats of the same quality by the end of the year, confirms the Administration.
Thus, the people of Šibenik are building sophisticated boats at full steam as part of the project of establishing an emergency maritime medical service, which is co-financed by the EU. The work of building and equipping six emergency boats is worth around HRK 76.4 million, and it was jointly won by Iskra Shipyard 1 and Tehnomont from Pula as the best bidder.
The shipbuilder from Pula later withdrew under the pressure of the contract book, and the period from tendering to contracting stretched to about a year.
The Šibenik shipyard in the ownership portfolio of the Slovenian Iskra Shipyard is experiencing a revival on several grounds. Along with characteristic workboats for the Scandinavian market, it is constantly improving its business with new investments. Now it is confirming its competitiveness with the SAR project as an ‘entrance’ to the market of high-speed ships for civil and military purposes.
Iskra Shipyard’s majority owner Dušan Šešok, as well as the directors – Aleš Ekar, who was in the cabin in the cockpit during the testing of the boat’s resistance to a 180-degree side roll, and Roko Vuletić point to the new perspective that opens up.
“It was a very sophisticated ship for us and a big task that our engineers and employees did well, so a new page is being opened for our shipyard. Now we have a world reference with which we will go to tenders for such ships in the entire Mediterranean”, Sešok, the majority owner of Iskra, told Poslovni dnevnik.
Tender for patrol boats
The premise for this is that the first boat platform produced applies to different projects because it is practically the same regardless of whether it is a harbor master ship, a medical ship, or for ecological research.
This is already shown in the current tender for seven high-speed patrol boats under the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure jurisdiction since, according to Šešok, the offer of the Iskra Shipyard in Šibenik proved to be the most favourable.
A decision on the selection is expected soon, and the people of Šibenik will be interested in the tender announced in Slovenia for such a sophisticated ship as part of the activities of the marine biological station there.
The design for the boat was made by the Croatian branch of the American company Metal Shark, which is the world leader in the design of this type of vessel. They will be able to accommodate three crew members and nine people, and apart from emergencies, these boats will also be used for search and rescue at sea.
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