Hospital ship enters service

It is rare for any country to build a hospital ship in wartime, let alone peacetime. But Izar?s Gijon Shipyard in northern Spain has handed over just such a ship. The 5,000g hospital cum rescue vessel, Esperanza del Mar, was delivered to the Spanish maritime social institute (Instituto Social de la Marina) on September 10. It will provide support to the Spanish fishing fleet. Its builder claims it is the first vessel built from new as a hospital ship. The 97.3m long vessel took 22 months to complete, at a cost of $22 million. It is designed around the all important hospital deck. This is fitted with extensive medical facilities. These include a fully equipped operating theatre; a first-aid room, X-ray room, intensive care units and wide corridors designed to accommodate wheeled stretchers. The ship has a helicopter landing deck and three rescue launches: One rapid launch and two zodiac RIBS, launched via sophisticated Hydramarine crane davits. These are located at the same level as the hospital deck to give access to the medical area without having to negotiate staircases and lifts. The standard crew of 41 includes two doctors. The vessel has 17 hospital beds and 30 berths to accommodate shipwrecked seamen. It also has a morgue capable of containing six bodies. Classed by Lloyds Register, the vessel is ice-class 1C. This means the ship can navigate in first-year ice conditions equivalent to unbroken, level ice with a thickness of 0.4m. Two MaK 9MIJ diesel engines, each rated at 2,700 kW, drive two fixed pitch propellers. The service speed is 17kt. There are three 532kW gensets in addition to one emergency genset with a similar output. The ship has a 350kW retractable azimuthing thruster fitted forward. This was supplied by Dutch-firm Holland Roerpropeller and can be used for bow steering or emergency propulsion. The azimuthing thruster can provide a ?get you home? capability of 6kt in the event of both main engines failing. Two Brown Brothers stabilisers and a passive anti-heeling tank enhance stability. The Spanish national fishing fleet is important to the nation?s economy. The government is therefore anxious to ensure its fishermen are well provided for in terms of support. The vessel is funded by the Spanish taxpayer. But in the age-old tradition of the sea, Esperanza del Mar (Hope of the Sea) will offer its facilities to any seaman in need of medical help or rescue. The vessel replaces a 2,100g hospital ship of the same name, dating from 1982. Its multi-functional capability includes fire fighting, towage, a fully equipped repair workshop, supplies of fresh water and electricity.