en.Wedoany.com Reported - In early July 2026, Moose Boats shipyard in Vallejo, California, delivered an M1-46 fire rescue catamaran to the Airport Division of the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD). The vessel will be deployed in waters near San Francisco International Airport to perform emergency water rescue missions.
San Francisco International Airport is the 13th busiest airport in the United States, serving over 500,000 passengers weekly. The airport's runways are adjacent to the waters of San Francisco Bay, posing a real risk of water-related emergencies such as aircraft water landings, necessitating rapid water rescue capabilities. The newly delivered M1-46 catamaran is the second M1 series rescue vessel assigned to San Francisco International Airport. The SFFD Airport Division will retain the original first M1 fireboat as a backup, ensuring emergency response capabilities remain unaffected during the new vessel's annual maintenance.
According to Moose Boats and industry media reports, the newly delivered M1-46 catamaran is equipped with multiple specialized rescue and navigation systems. It features two Cummins QSC 8.3 600-horsepower turbocharged diesel engines and a 1,000 gallons per minute (GPM) fire pump. The vessel includes a climate-controlled cabin and a dedicated casualty care bench, with storage capacity for over 50 life rafts, each capable of carrying 10 people. In terms of handling, the new vessel's platform and control systems are consistent with its predecessor, allowing pilots and crew to transition operations seamlessly. The boat will be stationed at a marine emergency response facility near the harbor to ensure rapid deployment in emergencies.
Moose Boats is a specialized aluminum alloy vessel design and manufacturer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The delivery of the M1-46 rescue catamaran further enhances San Francisco International Airport's capability to respond to water emergencies and solidifies Moose Boats' market position in the professional emergency vessel manufacturing sector.
