Hermann Ritter (ship)

**Hermann Ritter** p1
Ship data
flag	Germany
other ship names	South Seas control ship No. 01
Ship type	Rescue cruiser
class	44 m class
Callsign	DBAJ
home port	Bremerhaven (for bunkering)
Shipyard	Schweers, Bardenfleth
baptism	January 12, 1977
Launch	1977
Whereabouts	sold to China, scrapped in 2007
Ship dimensions and crew
length	44.20 m ( Lüa ) 40.50 m ( KWL )
width	8.05 m
Draft	Max. 2.58 m
displacement	185 t
crew	6 men
Machine system
machine	Middle machine with 4,500 HP, 2 side machines with 1,350 HP
Machine ; performance	7,200 PS (5,296 kW)
Top ; speed	25 kn (46 km / h)
propeller	3
Furnishing
Navigation aids ; radio	Sea radio systems, 4m BOS radio, echo sounder, radar , Decca , LORAN-C , radio direction finder, 121.500 / 243.00 MHz
Fire extinguishing system	2 fire extinguishing pumps with a total of 580 m³ / h ; 1 extinguishing monitor with 380 m³ / h
additional	External bilge system , on-board hospital, helicopter work deck
Daughter boat
Surname	Wanda
Callsign	DA 3395
length	8.80 m
width	2.70 m
Draft	0.90 m
speed	14 kn (26 km / h)
Machine performance	190 hp (140 kW)
Technical Equipment	Radio systems, echo sounder, radar, compass
Others
Registration ; numbers	DGzRS: KRS 10

The Hermann Ritter was a sea rescue cruiser of the 44-m class of the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People (DGzRS).

history

The ship was built in 1977 by the Schweers shipyard in Berne-Bardenfleth under shipyard no. 6428 built. The DGzRS internal designation is KRS 10.

The daughter boat Wanda (hull number 6429) has the internal name KRT 10.

The ship, together with its sister ships John T. Essberger (type ship) and Wilhelm Kaisen , was one of the largest units of the DGzRS until its decommissioning in 1988.

The ship was christened in Bardenfleth on January 12, 1977 in the name of the entrepreneur and Senator Hermann Ritter from Bremen . A family foundation made by his son made the construction of this rescue cruiser possible.

The daughter boat was given the first name of Ritter's wife Wanda.

deployment

The Hermann Ritter had been stationed at a sea position in the German Bight off the island of Helgoland since June 23, 1977 , and from July 1978 together with the Wilhelm Kaisen . This sea area is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, due to the high number of passengers and the sometimes large ships with dangerous cargo, large SAR units are also necessary there. Therefore, for the first time in the history of the DGzRS, seaworthy ships were put into service with the 44-m class, which in addition to an extensive on-board hospital also had powerful fire extinguishing systems for fighting ship fires (including 2000 l foam compound tank) and could also accommodate more than 300 shipwrecked people.

Noteworthy missions

On January 3, 1980, the cargo ship Buenos Aires 2 and the Italian car transporter Dora Riparia collided at night and in thick fog in the Alte Weser sea area . Both ships immediately caught fire. The crew of the Hermann Ritter was able to save a total of 39 people, including several women and children. In a panic, 18 people jumped from the deck onto the daughter boat Wanda . While an emergency doctor flown in by helicopter was taking care of the castaways in the Hermann Ritter's on-board hospital and other castaways were taken over by the pilot boat, Captain König , the sea rescuers began to fight the fire. The other extinguishing work was carried out by the rescue cruisers Wilhelm Kaisen and Hans Lüken .

Decommissioning

Since two cruisers of this size turned out to be relatively expensive at one station, the Hermann Ritter was decommissioned on November 1, 1988 and sold to the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration. Here the rescue cruiser was used as South Seas control ship No. 01 . The cruiser was scrapped in January 2007 after it was sold to a private individual in 2002 with engine damage.

Sister ships

swell

Sven Claussen, Ulf Kaack : The sea rescuers of the DGzRS .
Ms. Lürssen Werft, Bardenfleth, formerly Schweers Werft