When Frank Weinhold, foreman of the "Nis Randers", talks about his job, it sounds like this: "The engines are always warm, so we can set sail at top speed at any time." It is precisely this operational experience that is now being incorporated into a new ship: today (14 April 2026), the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) commissioned the construction of a 26.1-metre-long rescue cruiser. The prototype is due to go into service in 2028. At the same time, a new type of rescue boat is already being built in Finland - the DGzRS is modernising its fleet.
Tangermünde shipyard builds according to sea rescue specifications
The contract was awarded to SET Schiffbau- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde from the Heinrich Rönner Group. According to the DGzRS press release, the shipyard has expertise in aluminium shipbuilding and experience with special ships for the North and Baltic Seas - from government vessels to research ships. A sister ship has already been agreed as an option. But first it will be trialled: at various stations, in different areas, in all weather conditions.
What sea rescuers have learnt from thousands of missions
Experienced foreship and rescue personnel as well as DGzRS inspectors have thought the new cruiser through - from the shape of the hull to the arrangement of the equipment on deck. Together with the Oldenburg engineering office HB Hunte Engineering, a ship based on operational experience was created in an extensive development process. In proven net frame aluminium construction, but with optimised lines.
The highlight: a delta hull, which is widest at the stern, combined with a slim bulbous bow. This lengthens the waterline, improves water displacement and keeps splash water out. The models were run through the test tank at the Hamburg Shipbuilding Research Centre (HSVA) - with very good results, according to the DGzRS.
More space for emergencies
The main deck rises slightly towards the bow without a step. This provides more free space on the foredeck and behind the superstructure and therefore also more freedom of movement during rescue work. Every square metre counts when a helicopter is waving or when several rescued people come on board.
Another new feature: a completely separate treatment room for shipwrecked and injured persons. In this protected area, the rescue crew can provide medical care to injured or incapacitated persons without disrupting the hectic operations on deck.
As on the other rescue cruisers, nine sea rescuers will form the core crew, with four on watch. There is no living deck - instead there are two double cabins with makeshift berths as well as a mess room and galley. The living space is therefore sufficient for short overnight stays in other harbours or when lying at sea and at the same time saves space that can be used for other purposes.
Bridge with all-round view
On the bridge deck there is an outside driving position for special manoeuvres and two inside driving positions. Thanks to special folding seats with integrated controls, the foreman can drive standing or sitting from the same position - depending on the situation and sea conditions.
Special safety glass, side footwell windows and exterior cameras, which provide a virtual bird's eye view, ensure a clear overview. The aft seats for the engineer and on-scene coordinator (OSC) are elevated so that the entire crew can keep an eye on the sea. This is because the behaviour of a ship can sometimes indicate an emergency situation, as the foreman of the rescue cruiser "Nis Randers" describes in a report"Sometimes it's enough to see a ship sailing from a distance to realise that something is wrong on board."
Daughter boat with jet propulsion - a first
The eight-metre-long daughter boat will be similar to the new 8.4-metre sea rescue boat currently under construction, but will be equipped with jet propulsion for the first time. In addition to the mobile 8.4 metre class on special trailers, there will also be a covered external control station and crew safety equipment on the aft deck. Shipwrecked persons are rescued via a rescue platform at the stern - at a top speed of 32 knots, the small boat can be at the scene of an emergency quickly.
Generation change: Two new boat types in three years
The 26-metre cruiser is part of a larger modernisation project. Back in April 2025, the DGzRS commissioned the construction of a completely new type of rescue boat - a 12.75 metre prototype that is currently being built in Finland.
The SRB 90 is taking shape at Arctic Boats Oy - and not made of aluminium, but of glass and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (GRP/CFRP). According to the DGzRS, the material is just as robust, but lighter, cheaper to build and maintain and easier to work with and maintain. With twin-jet propulsion and two Cummins engines, the boat should be able to reach speeds of over 34 knots.
Special feature: The deckhouse is fully elastically mounted to dampen vibrations and noise. For the first time, there are sprung seats for the entire crew - a blessing in heavy seas, as anyone who has ever hammered a boat through the waves in force 7 winds can confirm. The hull and deckhouse have already been joined together on a trial basis at the shipyard - the "fitting" was a success. The obligatory capsize test is planned for spring 2026, after which the testing phase will begin at various stations.
The background: the 9.5/10.1 metre class sea rescue boats that were put into service between 1999 and 2002 will soon reach the age of 30 years. More than 30 of these robust, manoeuvrable boats are currently in service - they are gradually being replaced.
Where the new cruiser will be categorised
The DGzRS has around 60 rescue cruisers and boats at 53 stations between Borkum and Usedom. Sea rescue cruisers are the ocean-going units between 20 and 46 metres in length with professional crews - there are currently 20 of them. The smaller rescue boats (6.8 to 12.75 metres) are often operated by volunteers and mainly operate close to the coast.
At 26.1 metres, the new ship lies between the smaller and larger cruisers. By comparison, the modern 28-metre class, such as the "Nis Randers", is 27.90 metres long, displaces 120 tonnes and has around 4,000 hp at 24 knots top speed. It also has a crew of nine sea rescuers, four of whom are on watch for 14 days at a time. One clear difference: at 1.70 metres, the new 26-metre cruiser has a shallower draught than the 28-metre class (2.00 metres) - an important advantage for operations in the Bodden waters and coastal shallow water areas of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, where channels are treacherous and shallows are numerous.
Technical data:
Sea rescue cruiser
- Length: 26.12 metres
- Width: 6.70 metres
- Draught: 1.70 metres
- Displacement: 100 tonnes
- Power: 3,310 hp (2 x 1,655 hp)
- Speed: 23 knots
- Crew: 9 (including 4 on watch)
Daughter boat
- Length: 8.00 metres
- Width: 2.80 metres
- Draught: 0.60 metres
- Displacement: 4.6 tonnes
- Power: 425 hp
- Speed: 32 knots
- Drive: Jet
The smallest boat in the fleet
Although the DGzRS fulfils a task assigned to it by the federal government with its SAR (Search and Rescue) service, it is financed exclusively by voluntary donations. An important contribution is made by the smallest units in the sea rescue fleet: the collection boats. Last year, the miniature lifeboats celebrated their 150th anniversary. They can be found on bar counters in pubs, shops and passenger ships, are never missing from a sports boat test - and are quite literally a sight to behold. Every year, they contribute up to 900,000 euros to the DGzRS budget. Around 14,000 collection boats are in use throughout Germany.
The berths are varied: some are travelling the world's oceans on the training sailing ship "Alexander von Humboldt II" or on Hapag-Lloyd container ships, one went to the North Pole on the research icebreaker "Polarstern", another is at the Antarctic research station "Neumayer III". On land, special specimens mark extraordinary places: The 50,000th collector's boat was placed on the Zugspitze in 1996 by actor Wolfgang Fierek, while Reinhard Mey placed the 55,000th on the Berlin television tower four years later. There is even one deep underground in the UNESCO World Heritage Rammelsberg mine in the Harz Mountains.
This might also interest you:
Construction progress on the new rescue boat: The SRB 90 is taking shape at Arctic Boats in Finland. A historic gold coin from 1895 has already been anchored in the hull - for luck and protection.
Background to the commissioning: Why GRP/CFRP instead of aluminium? All technical details about the prototype.
Insight into everyday life: 14 days on watch on board the "Nis Randers": How the crew lives, works and why they go out especially during thunderstorms.
How to become a sea rescuer: The facts about training
The fleet at a glance: From 6.8 to 46 metres: All rescue cruisers and boats in detail.
Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise
