NSRI Blesses New Gqeberha Offshore Rescue Craft - Bay Guardian

Gqeberha — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) today officially celebrated the blessing of its latest state-of-the-art Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC), Bay Guardian, at a ceremony held at the PE Deep Sea Angling Club building, adjacent to NSRI’s Gqeberha Sea Rescue Station.

Purpose-built for rescue operations in extreme maritime conditions, Bay Guardian is a self-righting vessel measuring 14.8 metres in length and 4.8 metres in width. She can operate up to 50 nautical miles offshore and has a projected operational lifespan of at least 40 years. Constructed locally by Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town, the advanced French-designed vessel can carry up to 23 survivors and accommodates six rescuers in shock-mitigating seats for high-speed operations.

Since arriving at Station 6 on 25 September 2024, Bay Guardian has already demonstrated her capabilities — logging 49 training hours and 52 operational hours, conducting 15 rescue missions, and assisting 14 people in difficulty, including eight urgent medical evacuations from passing ships.

Station Commander, Justin Erasmus, praised the impact the vessel has already had on operational safety:
“The crew at Station 6 was very excited about the arrival of our new rescue boat,” said Erasmus. “She has made, and will continue to make, a huge difference in our crew’s safety and the operations we can safely undertake.”
“She represents a significant improvement on what we were accustomed to, and we have adapted our training to safely and effectively operate this highly advanced rescue vessel,” he added.

Bay Guardian also carries a special tribute through the NSRI’s “Celebrate a Life” initiative: seven hundred and thirty-nine names have been inscribed in the letters RESCUE 6 on the vessel’s side, raising over R700,000 for the vessel’s build. Each inscription honours a loved one, ensuring their legacy goes to sea with every mission.
 

Mike Vonk, NSRI CEO, highlighted the heart of the occasion:
“The blessing of Bay Guardian is about bringing together and recognising two core aspects of the NSRI: our volunteers, and the community we are here to serve. Our volunteers are at the very core of the NSRI — they set out in the most austere conditions to rescue people and animals. But they don’t exist in isolation. It’s the support of our community that makes their work possible.”
Reflecting on the Celebrate a Life initiative, Vonk added:
“Since this campaign launched, I’ve had the privilege of learning some of the stories behind the names on Bay Guardian. Each one is deeply personal and represents far more than just a name. These stories motivate and inspire our crew every day. Every time Bay Guardian launches, she will carry these legacies, hopes, and lives — and bring people safely home. It’s a powerful reminder of the impact we can have, and the lives we touch with every rescue.”

Reflecting on the broader fleet replacement strategy, Graeme Harding, head of NSRI’s Fleet and Facilities department, noted:
“Our fleet replacement programme will see the entire NSRI all-weather search and rescue fleet replaced with these new vessels, allowing for increased operational capability,” said Harding. “Bay Guardian is the sixth vessel, four of which have been built entirely in South Africa. We are currently constructing the seventh for Mykonos on the West Coast, and the eighth, which will go to Hout Bay, will complete this phase of our Class 1 fleet replenishment, rolled out from Richards Bay on the East Coast to Mykonos on the West.”
 

With Bay Guardian now formally commissioned, the NSRI continues its tradition of blending volunteer spirit with world-class rescue capability in Gqeberha — saving lives, changing lives, and creating futures along South Africa’s coastline.

High-resolution images from the blessing ceremony are available for download at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/searescue/albums/72157629531692352/