Samuel Blumberg

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University of Nottingham > Engineering > Departments > Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering > PDM Exhibitions > 2024 > MEng students > Samuel Blumberg

Designing a six-person aluminium rigid hull search and rescue (SAR) boat for the Nigerian Marine Volunteer Coastguard Volunteer Service (NMCGVS) – a grassroots SAR organisation based out of Lagos Nigeria; committed to protecting and serving the countries riverine and coastal states.

I’m Samuel, and I enjoy learning, making and teaching others how to make and learn. I love to explore new materials, processes and design techniques; with opportunities to develop my skillset allowing me to expand the breadth and depth of my evolving design sensibilities and practice as I venture further into the professional world of design.

I feel understanding the context something is created for, and who it’s created for, is as important as how it’s made and the products environmental impact - seeking to engage with users at a personal level to get to grips with the problems at hand.

The NMCG1 project has been an excellent chance to engage with both the end user and search and rescue experts in designing this boat for the NMCGVS. In the future, I’d like to work with more companies and clients with a positive humanitarian mission at their core - designing products for the public good and in service of wider society. This project allowed me to put that idea into practice, as well exploring a new area of design in the field of search & rescue and naval architecture - delving into the intricacies of marine materials, boat design and the specialist human factors considerations one needs to make.

Samuel Blumberg, MEng Product Design and Manufacture

NMCG 1

Presented here is the culmination of the past sixteen weeks of work in designing a six-person aluminium rigid hull search and rescue (SAR) boat for the Nigerian Marine Volunteer Coastguard Volunteer Service (NMCGVS) – a grassroots SAR organisation based out of Lagos Nigeria; committed to protecting and serving the countries riverine and coastal states.

A set of initial requirements for the vessel was outlined by the organisations head, Cpt. Issac Adamolekun, with three key aspects at its core – cost-effectiveness, ease of manufacture and repairability; with the processes used based off available manufacture capabilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt. By enabling the organisation to manufacture the vessel in Nigeria, it fosters greater self-reliance and aligns with the organisations strategic vision to expand operations to all riverine and coastal states across the country. There are four key use scenarios for the vessel: marine suicide attempts from the Third Mainland Bridge, mass capsize events in the Lagos Lagoon and Niger Delta, fast search and rescue (SAR) operations, flood evacuation and finally aid delivery - delivering food and fuel to communities and refugee camps effected by flood disasters. This vessel will be the next step in expanding the organisations rescue capabilities as well as training volunteers in boat-based operations.

Nigerian Marine Volunteer Coastguard Volunteer Service (NMCGVS)

The boat itself is made predominantly from 5052-H32 aluminium and 316 Stainless Steel - creating a durable, corrosion resistant craft. Powered by a two-stroke 60HP engine, the vessel can be operated at a depth of 0.9m with a minimum usable depth of 0.4m. Communications are enabled by VHF or UHF radio (location dependant), with a chart-plotter for mapping and navigation and backup communications facilitated by handheld radios or ruggedised smartphones and tablets. Three water-tight lockers can be used for equipment storage such as anchors, lines and lifejackets and first-aid equipment.