SEA-EYE 5
The 23.3 metre-long rescue cruiser SEA-EYE 5 was specially designed for sea rescue. Until 2020, it was in service on the Baltic Sea under the name NIS RANDERS for the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS).
The rescue cruiser was built in 1990 by the Schweers shipyard near Bremen. In the same year, it was ceremoniously christened NIS RANDERS as part of the 125th anniversary of the DGzRS. It belongs to the 23.3 metre class of the DGzRS, a series of seven rescue cruisers built between 1980 and 1991. For the rescue of people in distress at sea, the cruiser can carry a daughter boat that can be automatically lowered into the water and picked up again. The ship also has a towing hook, mobile rescue equipment and extensive navigation and radio equipment.
Until September 2018, the NIS RANDERS was stationed in Maasholm, Germany. She was used on the Baltic Sea without a fixed base until January 2020 and then sold to a private owner in Croatia.
In summer 2024, we bought the ship together with Sea-Eye. In just one month, more than 1,000 supporters donated 465,000 euros — the purchase price for the rescue cruiser. The ship is currently undergoing a technical overhaul and modernisation and will then be ceremoniously christened SEA-EYE 5 before embarking on its first mission!
You will soon find more photos of the SEA-EYE 5 and its rescue missions on our Flickr account.
FAQ SEA-EYE 5
What kind of vessel is the SEA-EYE 5?
The SEA-EYE 5 is a rescue cruiser built for the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS). The ship is 23.3 metres long, fast and specially designed for sea rescue. Until 2020, it was in service for the DGzRS in the Baltic Sea under the name NIS Randers and was then sold to a private owner. And now we are sending the ship to the Mediterranean!
What are the advantages of the rescue cruiser?
The SEA-EYE 5 is specially designed for sea rescue and has powerful engines. This enables it to reach boats in distress quickly, save lives and prevent pullbacks by the so-called Libyan coastguard. At 23.3 metres in length, the rescue cruiser is comparatively small and not designed for long distances. For this reason, it cannot be sent to distant harbours by the authorities. This means that no valuable time is lost after a rescue and the ship is quickly ready for the next mission!
How many people can the SEA-EYE 5 rescue?
The rescue cruiser can save up to 100 shipwrecked people and bring them to a safe harbour.
Who owns the SEA-EYE 5?
The SEA-EYE 5 belongs to the sea rescue organisation Sea-Eye e.V., which also operates the ship. United4Rescue made the purchase possible thanks to more than a thousand donors.
What does it mean that the SEA-EYE 5 is an alliance ship?
United4Rescue made the purchase of the SEA-EYE 5 possible and remains committed to the ship. The many donors and allies of United4Rescue stand behind the ship — even if it is arrested or the crew is criminalised.
