Long Beach’s Fire Department Powerful New Fireboat 20.

Port of Long Beach’s new Robert Allan-designed fireboat, is one of the worlds most powerful fireboats. The ten water monitors that conspicuously surround the vessel’s superstructure have the ability to throw more than 41,000 gallons of water per minute at distances of up to 600 feet horizontally and 236 feet vertically.

There will be a total of two, and these new vessels will replace the port’s 1988-vintage fireboats, Liberty and Challenger.

port of long beach fireboat robert allan

Two 2012 hp Caterpillar 3512C diesel engines and pair of Voith Schneider VSP 26GII/165 AE45 propellers will enable a top speed of approximately 12 knots. The design is based on the Voith Water Tractor principle currently in use at the Port of Los Angeles.

Rendering of the Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP)

voith schneider propeller

Vessel Particulars

  • Length, overall                            108 ft
  • Length, waterline                       100.75 ft
  • Beam                                            35 ft
  • molded Beam                             34 ft
  • waterline Depth                         14.33 ft
  • molded Draft                              9.15 ft
  • hull Draft                                     15.00 ft
  • maximum Air Draft at DWL   45.00 ft
  • Hull Construction                      Steel Hull/Aluminum Deckhouse
  • Displacement                             300 gross tons

port of long beach fireboat robert allan

port of long beach fireboat robert allan

Two of the four fire pumps are driven by the diesel engines however, in firefighting mode, the propulsion power is limited to approximately 25 percent with the remaining 75 percent available to the fire pumps.

This allows the fireboats to be positioned in a fuel-efficient manner, while at the same time increasing the vessels’ pumping power without requiring additional engines. As the VSP pitch can be altered, the fireboats can operate efficiently and safely under all operating conditions.

port of long beach fireboat robert allan

port of long beach fireboat robert allan

More about the Voith Water Tractor