New fire and rescue boat for the Fire and Emergency Service

©Direction de la Communication / Manuel Vitali

T.S.H. the Sovereign Prince and Princess Charlene, accompanied by H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Jacques and H.S.H. Princess Gabriella, on Saturday 4 May 2024 inaugurated the new fire and rescue boat of the Monaco Fire and Emergency Service in the presence of the highest authorities of the Principality.

Monseigneur Dominique-Marie David and Father Christian Venard, the Military Force’s Chaplain, blessed the ship while it was docked at Fontvieille Port. Following a technical presentation, the Royal couple and their children were able to board and observe a manoeuvre at sea. The new boat then reached its home port after passing through the “great waters”, a marine and seafarer tradition that marks the start of an adventure for the ship and those connected to it and celebrates its incorporation into port and sea life. It then docked at the Yacht Club of Monaco where its name was unveiled. Named the “Prince Jacques”, at the wish of H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince, this unit is a better, more efficient boat for the Fire and Emergency Service.

The replacement is the result of a study launched five years ago and based on insight obtained from the previous boat’s 15 years of service.

The Prince Jacques offers the following main features:

- 1,110-horsepower powertrain

- Spin stabilisation system to counteract listing

- Firefighting capacity: 5,000 litres/minute

- Closed cabin to protect personnel and victims transported and which also enables the activation of all fire equipment

- motorised rear platform

- Extensive on-board electronics including a thermal infrared camera and 30x zoom; an electronic anchor, an electronic identification system to identify ships; a radar, a mapping navigation system, and more.