Viking Norsafe’s impressive new Norwegian Police patrol boat is equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation and communications package from Raymarine.

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S has carved out a niche for itself as a trusted and influential supplier of maritime safety solutions. The acquisition of the Norwegian lifeboat manufacturer Norsafe in 2018 further bolstered Viking’s reputation and market presence; and this expansion was rewarded when Viking Norsafe secured a contract from the Norwegian police the following year to construct a new patrol boat, winning out over five other boatbuilders in the process. 

The 12m vessel, a Viking Norsafe Munin S1200 Pilot is laid out to maximise its suitability for police patrol and law enforcement duties in the area encompassing the 38 municipalities between Oslo and the Swedish border.

Reliability and Versatility

Mr Møllergaard highlights a combined emphasis on reliability and versatility in the decision to adopt the Raymarine solution. ‘The Norwegian Police selected this specific configuration due to the extensive variety of uses and conditions their Munin S1200 Pilot will be expected to handle. When working in a variety of sea states, stretching from the River Glomma all the way out to Skagerrak, they need equipment with proven capabilities and the flexibility to cope with both day and night operations.’

The Munin’s helm integration is based on a full navigation suite that centres around Raymarine’s award-winning Axiom multifunction display system. Two glass bridge Axiom systems have been installed and integrate seamlessly with the extensive inventory of Raymarine electronics that have been installed to deliver superior visual navigation for a variety of different situations.

Clear vision for both day and night-time operations, safety and situational awareness at night is optimised with FLIR thermal camera technology, capable of detecting other vessels or obstacles within a 360° radius of the police boat.

Well received

The magnitude and scope of this equipment delivery for the Norwegian Police’s Munin S1200 Pilot boat inevitably begs the question of whether the installation and commissioning process was complicated and time-consuming; but Eirik Møllergaard observes that the procedures went very smoothly. ‘The support provided by Raymarine’s Norwegian team made all the difference,’ he remarks, ‘both in terms of sharing information and supporting Viking Norsafe’s work. This support, combined with the manuals and the straightforward design of Raymarine’s plug-and-play systems, ensured a time-efficient and safe installation.’

Mr Møllergaard is pleased to report that the Raymarine solution has been well received. ‘We are in close contact with the Norwegian Police,’ he says, ‘and their feedback has been positive. Based on this feedback, Viking Norsafe is now offering the same package to several other professional users. We see the delivery to the Norwegian Police as an important milestone; a validation of the products we recommend and their proven capabilities from one of the key professional users in Norway.’