TRIESTE, Italy, July 16 (UPI) -- Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has launched a multipurpose vessel that will be used by the Italian coast guard.
The vessel, designed to operate in open seas, will be used for search and rescue, anti-pollution and fire-fighting missions and to deter illegal immigration
The boat is 308 feet long, will have a top speed of 18 knots and a range of more than 3,000 miles. Other features include a landing pad for AB212 or AW139 helicopters.
"The real forte of these patrol boats is their innovative hybrid propulsion system, involving an auxiliary diesel-electric engine for use at the low and very low speeds needed when performing surveillance and control missions for long periods, otherwise impossible with traditional propulsion," Fincatieri said.
The vessel launched was the second and last ordered for the coast guard by the General Command of the Port Authority Corp.
The cost of the vessel and details of the contract under which it was built was not disclosed.
The vessel will be delivered to the coast guard by the end of this year.
