Salvage tug "Fehmarn" put into service 55 years ago
55 years of the salvage tug "Fehmarn"
When on 01.02.1967 the salvage tug "Fehmarn" with the hull number A 1458 was put into service by the Federal Ministry of Defence with the commissioning order no. 281, the author of this birthday serenade, the current 1NSO of the "Fehmarn", was not even born yet.
In 1959, the German Armed Forces initiated an auxiliary shipbuilding programme for the German Navy, which was still under construction. The orders for the "Helgoland" as a type ship and the "Fehmarn" were placed with the Bremerhaven shipyard Schichau-Unterweser AG. The ships with diesel-electric propulsion were to be used as salvage tugs, icebreakers, for wreck searches, fire-fighting and for towing shooting targets. For this purpose, they were fitted with extensive equipment.
Over the decades, the tasks changed, as did the home harbours. From Neustadt i.H. we travelled to Olpenitz and Kiel. The service was characterised by comprehensive support for our "customers", such as the former submarine training group in Neustadt i.H., the submarine training centre (AZU), the current submarine squadron, the 3rd minesweeper squadron, the naval battalion with its divers and various naval schools.
Over the past few years, the ship has travelled countless nautical miles throughout Europe, from the far north to Iceland and Norway, east to Finland and the Baltic states, south to Spain and west to Ireland and Scotland. The exclusively civilian crew has experienced many a beautiful harbour, but also a lot of bad weather. However, nobody really knows what the future holds for the "Fehmarn". The only ray of hope for a successor is currently the SAMSe project, which is still in the analysis phase.
One thing is certain: the crew will continue to fulfil their orders for the German Navy without making a fuss. With the reliable "Fehmarn" or her successor.
You will soon find more about our good old auxiliary vessels in the marine forum, in the blog and here.
Text: Ronald Stern
English 
German
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