Romania has officially commissioned the new multipurpose rescue vessel MAI 0101, which will be operated by the naval unit of the country’s General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU).
The vessel entered service during a ceremony held in the Port of Constanța on August 14, 2026.
MAI 0101 was developed from the standard Damen Stan Patrol 5009 platform and adapted to meet a broad range of emergency-response requirements.
The ship was built, commissioned and delivered by Damen Shipyards Galati.
Its main role will be to support emergency operations in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea, including firefighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation and assistance during maritime accidents.
The vessel is equipped to fight fires both onboard ships and on offshore energy infrastructure.
It can also provide support during firefighting and decontamination operations on the water, making it suitable for a wide range of industrial and maritime emergencies.
MAI 0101 is fitted with self-protection systems, radar and day-and-night surveillance cameras, allowing the crew to operate in difficult conditions and maintain situational awareness during emergency missions.
The vessel also carries fast-response boats, a dedicated rescue system and a crane for handling equipment and supporting rescue operations.
One of its key capabilities is the ability to evacuate up to 50 people to safety during rescue missions.
This makes the ship particularly useful during large-scale incidents involving passenger vessels, offshore installations or multiple casualties at sea.
MAI 0101 is also equipped for emergency medical response.
Onboard facilities include support for Romania’s SMURD emergency medical service, allowing medical teams to provide urgent treatment, resuscitation and assistance with the recovery of injured people directly at sea.
The combination of firefighting, rescue and medical capabilities gives MAI 0101 a broader mission profile than a conventional patrol vessel.
Rather than being designed solely for surveillance or law-enforcement duties, the ship can operate as a mobile emergency-response platform during complex maritime incidents.
Its commissioning strengthens Romania’s ability to respond to emergencies along the Black Sea coast and provides additional capability for international operations in the wider Mediterranean region.
With MAI 0101 now in service, Romanian emergency authorities gain a modern vessel capable of supporting firefighting, search and rescue, casualty evacuation and offshore emergency response from a single platform.
