The actress and singer Meret Becker, 47, named the new rescue cruiser for the Kiel Fjord “Berlin” in Bremen. The ship replaces the aging predecessor of the same name at the Laboe station. She is expected to start her service in Laboe in mid-January. With between 130 and 150 alarms per year, the station on the Kiel Fjord has the most rescue missions.
The second special ship in the new 28-meter class, the most modern in the rescuers' portfolio, is 6.20 meters wide, goes two meters deep and, propelled by around 4,000 hp, reaches up to 24 knots.
Actress and godmother: Meret Becker smashes the obligatory champagne bottle on the hull of the "Berlin"
At his christening, the sea rescuers welcomed numerous guests, friends and sponsors to the grounds of their headquarters in Bremen Neustadt. What was special in this case was that the name was not - as is tradition - only revealed at the ceremony of baptism, but was made public very early on. This has led to an increase in donations, especially in Berlin. The names of the donors are immortalized on a thank you board on board. "We wanted and received broad support from the population in order to finance this special rescue unit. Not least the exception to our traditional rule contributed to this," said Gerhard Harder, chairman of the sea rescuers.
Meret Becker, who was born in Bremen, also lives in Berlin today. Her father Otto Sander, who died in 2013, had already represented the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People as "Bootschafter". His daughter said at the ceremony in Bremen: "A sailor at heart, that was my father. Even as a child, I had great respect for the sea. I admire those who bravely and selflessly stand up to dangers in order to save others. " Chairman Gerhard Harder emphasized that the new building was only made possible through voluntary donations. "Each of our sponsors across the country can rightly claim to have played their part. I thank you all very much."
Prominent christening guests (from left): Deputy DGzRS chairmen Ingo Kramer and Michael Schroiff, godparents Meret Becker and TessMielitz (for the daughter boat "Steppke"), foreman Michael Müller, Ralf Wieland, President of the Berlin House of Representatives, and DGzRS chairman Gerhard Harder
Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller had already made a special promise to his namesake, the foreman of the Laboe Rescue Station Michael Müller, during a visit to Bremen in autumn 2015: He transferred his country's sponsorship of the Labo rescue cruiser, which he had taken over from Eberhard Diepgen in 1986, to the New building.
The "Berlin" was built by the Fassmer shipyard in Berne on the Lower Weser. In future, the ship will be driven by a four-man crew. Special features are comprehensive equipment for medical first aid on board, a fire pump with remote-controlled monitor for fighting fires at sea and the ability to straighten yourself up within a few seconds in the event of capsizing. In the stern tub, which is typical of rescue cruisers, the 28-meter units each carry an eight-meter-long daughter boat.