What began optimistically in September 2019 in terms of scheduling now seems to be slowly coming to an end.
Two years late, the new integrated Marine Emergency Rescue Centre (iMERZ) was transferred to its platform, the Einsatzgruppenversorger (EGV) "Frankfurt am Main", on 23 May. Construction of the rescue centre, which was designed as a permanent deckhouse, began in September 2019. The plans at the time assumed that the centre would be integrated on the "Frankfurt am Main" in spring 2020.
Placing the rescue centre on the "Frankfurt am Main". Photo: German Naval Yards
Basically, the iMERZ is a complete hospital, consisting of an infirmary, two operating theatres, an X-ray room, a dental technology department and various laboratories. Accordingly, it is designed as a permanent deckhouse for the task force providers and replaces the previous containerised solution. While German Naval Yards is responsible for the construction and integration of the iMERZ, the medical equipment is being provided by ZEPPELIN MOBILE SYSTEME (ZMS), Meckenbeuren (Lake Constance district), and includes state-of-the-art medical technology.
Structure of the iMERZ. Graphic: German Naval Yards
Defined gap
Until 2015, the navy had two Marine Emergency Rescue Centres (MERZ). A MERZ consists of 26 20- and 30-foot containers, which were installed two storeys high on the upper deck. The containers were destroyed in a fire in 2015. The separately housed equipment remained intact.
Following the final fitting of the iMERZ, which is now to take place, the "Frankfurt am Main" is scheduled to leave the shipyard by the end of July at the latest and will then be available to the navy together with the "Berlin" and "Bonn". According to the BAAINBw, it is currently planned to equip the sister ships with their iMERZ as part of one of the next scheduled refits. This will close a capability gap that has existed for years. The reason for the delay was not disclosed.
The task force provider "Bonn" has been on its way to the Aegean Sea since 20 May 2022 to join the Standing Nato Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2).
English 
German
0 Kommentare