With the new "WSP 1" boat, the waterway police in North Rhine-Westphalia RW has the most modern fleet of Rhine patrol boats in Germany. The boat will be deployed immediately from its berth in Duisburg to monitor shipping traffic, prevent shipping accidents and pursue environmental violations on the Rhine.
Like the other patrol boats, the "WSP 1" is a moving watch. Modern computer technology enables direct access to the police network while underway. This means that complaints and reports can be transferred online to the police's electronic case processing system.
The "WSP 1" is an impressive 19 meters long, five meters wide and cost 1.5 million euros. Its two engines have a combined 1,500 horsepower and give the ship a top speed of more than 45 kilometers per hour, fast enough to reach the scene of the incident quickly.
The WSP 1 can effectively keep pace with the ever-increasing demands of today's inland waterway traffic. The NRW police's 14 Rhine and 11 canal patrol boats monitor around 750 kilometers of navigable waterways in NRW.
The "WSP 1" is also equipped as a floating command post. Major operations on the Rhine, such as shipwrecks, as well as the annual "Kölner Lichter" and "Rhein in Flammen" festivals will be coordinated from there in future.
A hydraulic rescue platform at the stern makes it easier for police officers to rescue people from the water. The helm station is equipped with state-of-the-art operating and monitoring equipment. For the first time on an NRW water police boat, the radar unit is equipped with a system for the electronic display of ship charts.
This can provide the skipper with significantly more information at night and in poor visibility than a conventional radar. The boat is also used for basic and advanced training. Police officers gain their first nautical experience there.
