Damen to build 13 SAR vessels for Turkish Coast Guard

April 9, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Damen has signed a contract for the delivery of thirteen search and rescue (SAR) 1906 vessels to be operated by the Turkish Coast Guard, within the framework of the European Union-funded project “Improving the Turkish Coast Guard’s Operational Capacity through the Supply of Search and Rescue Boats”.

All of the vessels will be constructed at Damen Shipyards Antalya. Damen has been operating the yard, located in the Antalya Free Zone, since 2013.

The company will deliver these 13 vessels over 2027 and 2028. The vessels will be operated by the TURCG to support search-and-rescue operations at sea.

“On behalf of Damen, I am very grateful once again for the trust placed in our organisation for the construction of these latest SAR vessels. I am looking forward to continuing to develop the strong partnership between ourselves, the IOM, the Turkish Coast Guard and the European Union over the coming years as we work together on delivering these vessels,” Damen Regional Sales Director Emre Turkoz said.

The SAR 1906 is a lightweight, aluminium vessel with a composite wheelhouse. The craft is 19.5 meters long, 6.5 metres wide, and is able to achieve speeds up to 30 knots.

It is designed to operate in all weather conditions, as demonstrated by the over 90% operational availability shown by the vessels already operating with the Turkish Coast Guard. Adding to this workability is the vessel’s ability to self-right within seconds of rolling or capsizing.

Damen previously delivered six SAR 1906 vessels to the TURCG in 2016, followed by nine further vessels in 2019, within the framework of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) European Union-supported projects.