VIKING Norsafe boats for the Hellenic Armed Forces (Part B: Hellenic Navy and Hellenic Coast Guard - MUNIN S1200 CABIN, MARATHON 900RIB-D, MUNIN S1200 EXT. CABIN, METIS 600RIB, METRON 850)

VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 armed with Kongsberg's Sea
Protector RWS. Original photo by Kongsberg

This is the 2nd part of our visit to the manufacturing plant of VIKING Norsafe Hellas in Thiva, Greece, in order to learn at first hand its world-famous products and especially those that are/will be in service with the Hellenic Armed Forces and the Hellenic Coast Guard. Founded in 1974, VIKING Norsafe Hellas is the Greek subsidiary of the leading global maritime safety solutions provider VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S. VIKING Norsafe Hellas produces high quality marine life-saving appliances – lifeboats, rescue boats and davits, using the latest technologies and materials in order to protect seafarers and offshore workers worldwide. In the 1st Part, we showed the large facilities of VIKING Norsafe in Greece as well as a presentation of a new RIB, Munin S1200 Open, that is offered to the Hellenic Army Special Forces. In this article, we will see the Munin S1200 Cabin and other boats of VIKING Norsafe that serve or will serve with the Hellenic Coast Guard and Hellenic Navy.

Hellenic Coast Guard

Hellenic Coast Guard Munin S1200, a donation by Papastratos SA

In April 2019, Papastratos SA, an affiliate of Philip Morris International and the largest tobacco products manufacturer in Greece, has donated five high-speed boats worth 2.4 million euros to the Hellenic Coast Guard in recognition of their efforts to combat the smuggling of tobacco products in the Greek seas. Through that donation, the Coast Guard acquired one (1) VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Cabin (equipped with Raymarine radar and FLIR EO-sensor among others) and four (4) VIKING Norsafe Marathon 900 RIB-D. Their equipment and performance are considered quite “extreme” but have never been disclosed for obvious reasons. 

 

Munin S1200 Cabin of HCG

VIKING Norsafe Marathon 900 RIB-D, a donation by Papastratos SA

 

Once again, among the contenders, for the Hellenic Coast Guard procurement program for the acquisition of ten (10) RIBs of 11-12m in length, is also the VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Cabin of VIKING Norsafe Hellas. 

The Munin S1200 boat already serves with the Armed or Police Forces of various countries in the world in various configurations.

Munin S1200 with Sea Protector RWS

Munin 1200 TwinJet for Dubai Police

Munin S1200 with Sea Protector RWS

Munin S1200 with Sea Protector RWS

Norwegian Police Munin S1200 patrol boat

VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Extended Cabin ambulance boat

In the coming months, the company will deliver also three (3) VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Extended Cabin offshore, high-speed, ambulance boats to the Hellenic Coast Guard. The international tender was concluded after cooperation between the Hellenic Coast Guard and the Greek Emergency Response Organization (E.K.A.B), in an initiative supported and financed by the European Union under the INTERREG V-A Cooperation Program 2014-2020. All three ambulance boats are scheduled for delivery during the summer of 2020 and will operate in remote Greek islands of the Aegean. 

VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Extended Cabin ambulance boat of HCG

The boats are based in the successful Munin S1200 design and will be equipped with twin diesel stern drive engines, capable to achieve speeds up to 40 knots (twin MERCRUISER 370 hp), as well as cutting-edge navigation instruments. The boats will be equipped with twin stretchers, resuscitation devices and all the necessary medical equipment to perform high emergency and rescue operations, medical evacuations and other humanitarian missions under harsh weather conditions. The crew will consist of 4 persons. 

The first VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 ambulance boat under construction

VIKING Norsafe Munin S1200 Extended Cabin boat

View of the ambulance boat's cabin

The cabin of the second ambulance boat under construction

The cabin of the second ambulance boat under construction

The cabin of the third ambulance boat under construction

Another view of the first VIKING Norsafe ambulance boat

The boat will be equipped with twin diesel stern drive MERCRUISER 370 hp engines

The big cabin capable to host at least two patients, equipment, and 4-person crew

View of the cabin

The hull of the second ambulance boat

The cabin of the third boat

This is the first time that the Hellenic Coast Guard has incorporated ambulance boats in its fleet and, if the project fulfills expectations, more orders could be on the horizon.

Hellenic Navy

The Navy will equip some of its current Roussen-class FACM with
VIKING Norsafe Metis 600 RIB. Photo: alper böler

The Hellenic Navy equip or will equip some of its current Roussen-class FACM and the two under construction, with the 6.1-meter VIKING Metis 600 RIB fitted with twin Mercury 115hp outboards. Each FACM can carry one RIB amidships. The same model, along with a bigger version compete for the replacement of 11 (eleven) old RIBs on other units of the Hellenic Navy. 

VIKING Norsafe Metis 600 RIB

Naftilos (A478) carrying a Metron 850 boat.
Photo: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

Metron 850

At least two ships of the Hellenic Navy, the 63-meter hydrographic and oceanographic Naftilos (A478) and the 147-meter Etna-class replenishment ship Prometheus (Α374), the largest ship of the Hellenic Navy (13.400t), carry each two VIKING Norsafe 8.65-meter Metron 850 multipurpose trimaran boats. 

Prometheus (Α374) with Metron 850. Photo: alper böler

Prometheus (Α374) with Metron 850. Photo: FleetMon

VIKING Norsafe Metron 850
Photo: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

VIKING Norsafe Metron 850
Photo: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

VIKING Norsafe Metron 850
Photo: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

Metron 850's console

Metron was mainly designed as a multirole boat, dedicated also for short/ medium range, crew-passenger transportation. The advanced hull provides excellent stability both on cruising and when on mooring. The standard configuration offers a wide single-level sheltered space, which can be used for a variety of operations. The boat can carry 12 persons and its speed is up to 35 knots. All boats and RIBs have been constructed locally in Greece by VIKING Norsafe Hellas. 

Metron 850 in Hellenic Navy service

LCVP on a Jason LST

One of the five Jason class LST of the Hellenic Navy

According to some recent news (source), the Navy is studying to replace the old LCVPs carried by the five (5) Jason-class tank landing ships (LST) (four LCVP on each ship) with a modern RIB suitable for landing operations. VIKING could be the ideal provider of these type of boats because does not only build world-class RIBs but also a wide-range of davits dedicated for this purpose (over 60 types!). Note that the davits are required for the fast and safe launching of the RIBs from the mothership, if the old ones on Jasons need to be replaced.