Høvik: The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue’s newest and most modern rescue vessel bears the name RS “ Det Norske Veritas”. The new vessel was named and wished the best of luck by her godmother Bodil Ullring at an elegant ceremony on Tuesday evening at which almost 2,000 guests were present.
The idea for a new rescue vessel was developed and realised through close collaboration between Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue (NSSR).
”We share many common features and it has been easy to find reasons why DNV should help secure the Society a new vessel,” says Odd Torset, DNV’s maritime regional director in Norway.
DNV and the NSSR have almost the same goals. While the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue is a humanitarian association with the objective of safeguarding life and property, DNV is an independent foundation whose objective is to safeguard life, property and the environment. Both also have a long, well-established history and have cooperated with each other for a long time.
”Our first chief executive officer, Nils Ihlen – who was a director of DNV from 1864 to 1905 – was one of those who took the initiative to establish the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue in 1891. Today, we are almost neighbours – in fact the Society leases head-office space in DNV’s premises at Høvik in Bærum,” continues Torset.
The costs of the new rescue vessel, which was built by Båtservice Mandal, Norway, amount to around NOK 30 million. DNV’s total contribution will – over the next ten years for which the joint-venture agreement between the two organisations is valid – amount to some NOK 15 million.
In addition to a cash amount, the agreement also involves such things as assistance in building the vessel, surveying the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue’s entire fleet and mutual profiling by the two enterprises.
Just the day after the naming ceremony, RS “Det Norske Veritas” will take part in a new major event for employees and their families – also at Høvik. Later this summer, the rescue vessel will visit a number of places along the lengthy Norwegian coast, from Fredrikstad in the south-east to Kristiansund in the north-west. Following a period when it will be stationed in Farsund, Kristiansund will be the rescue vessel’s home port.