Geo Barents
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Geo Barents in 2022 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Norway | |
| Name | Geo Barents |
| Owner | Uksnøy & Co AS |
| Operator | Médecins Sans Frontières |
| Port of registry | Ålesund |
| Builder | Havyard Solstrand |
| Launched | 2007 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Rescue and salvage ship |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 76.95 m (252 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in) |
| Decks | 2 (one for men and one for women and children) |
| Crew |
|
Geo Barents is a rescue and salvage ship owned by Uksnøy & Co AS. She is currently chartered by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders) for sea-rescue operations of refugees in the Mediterranean since June 2021.[2] Geo Barents is the sixth ship chartered or operated by MSF for humanitarian missions.[2][3] Geo Barents sails under the Norwegian flag.[2]
Geo Barents was built in 2007 by Havyard Solstrand A/S,[4] by extending and converting the hull of a fishing trawler built in Braila in Romania.[5] She was originally designed as a geological research vessel.[2] The ship is 76.95 meters long with two main decks and a bridge.
Since chartering the vessel, MSF has adapted her for search and rescue.[6] Her two decks have been adapted to create two separate accommodation sections for rescued perople: one for men, the other for women and children. The vessel has facilities for MSF teams to carry out medical assistance activities. The ship can deploy two fast rigid inflatable boats during rescue operations, and is operated by 20 MSF personnel together with typically 12 crew for maritime operations.
