MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar has a new police patrol boat to match the Guardia Civil.

Commissioner Eddie Yome thanked HM Government of Gibraltar for continuing to invest in providing assets to the RGP

A very wet naming and blessing ceremony of the Sir William Jackson (*) took place on Tuesday the 19th of February at 3.30pm at the Royal Gibraltar Police Marine Section at Coaling Island. Speaking at the ceremony Commissioner Eddie Yome thanked HM Government of Gibraltar for continuing to invest in providing assets to the RGP.

In response Chief Minister the Hon Fabian Picardo highlighted his government’s commitment to supporting its law enforcement agencies: “We are  committed  to  providing  the  RGP  the  right  resources  to  do their  job properly and safely. I am pleased to see this new resource that will allow them to operate in all weather, for extended periods of time, in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.”

The vessel was blessed by Monsignor Paul Bear, the RGP chaplain, following which it was formally named by His Excellency Sir Adrian Johns, Governor of Gibraltar.

Present at the ceremony were Minister for Justice the Hon Gilbert Licudi and other distinguished guests which including retired RGP marine officers.

The Sir William Jackson is a 23.5 metre twin screw patrol vessel with controllable pitch propellers. It enjoys a mother-daughter configuration, having a 6.7m RHIB daughter vessel stowed in a stern wet area. The RHIB is launched and recovered from a stern ramp which is accessed via a stern door. If required the RHIB may be launched in less than a minute.

The vessel was designed by David M Cannell and Associates whose designs are characterised by exceptional load carrying ability and low power requirements together with excellent sea keeping qualities. The vessel is constructed in Glass Reinforced Plastic, (GRP) and is powered by twin Caterpillar 3412 high performance twin turbo-charged engines, rated at 1200 bhp at 2300 rpm.

The Sir William Jackson is capable of cruising at speeds of approximately 22 knots in most sea conditions with the capability of running at full pursuit speed for up to an hour at a time. Combustion and cooling air is provided by four 12“ diameter Airmax AC fans with two additional extraction fans. The engines themselves, are cooled by a closed freshwater system in conjunction with a seawater heat exchanger, and are also fitted with two Perkins 4.236, 4 cylinders diesel engines rated at 60hp which provide 240v power around the vessel.

The Sir William Jackson was launched in 1994 as the ”Protector III” for the Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee and was operated successfully in that role.

With crew safety being paramount the vessel is equipped with a number of life saving and safety aids. There are heat and smoke detectors throughout the vessel, numerous fire extinguishers, and a system which can flood the engine room with carbon dioxide gas in the event of a fire. Oxygen Breathing Apparatus kits and flame retardant suits for use in fighting fires are also carried on board.

The vessel was purchased in June of 2012 following sea trials and an inspection by officers of the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Gibraltar Maritime Administration near King's Lynn, Norfolk. Following its transfer to Burnham on Crouch Yacht Harbour its hull and superstructure were painted in RGP livery. In November 2012 the vessel was navigated to Southampton Docks where it was then lifted onto a vessel transporter ship, and brought down to Gibraltar arriving on the 13th December 2013.

(*) Sir William Jackson was a former governor of Gibraltar and a well known historian and author on a book about the history of Gibraltar.

By Jim Watt, (www.gibnet.com) -  Gibraltar