WAL

WAL (IMO: 8862662) is a Pleasure vessel sailing under the Germany flag. It has an overall length of 164 feets and a beam of 39 feets.

Vessel Profile

Vessel Identification

• MMSI: 211253400
• IMO: 8862662
• Call Sign: DFDR
• Flag: Germany
• Vessel Type: Buoy Tender / Aids to Navigation Vessel
• AIS Type: 35 (Military/Law Enforcement – Government)

Specifications

• Gross Tonnage: 696 GT
• Length Overall: 55.0 m
• Beam: 11.4 m
• Draft: 2.8 m

Propulsion

• Propulsion Type: Diesel-mechanical
• Drive Type: Twin screw

Shipyard

• Builder: Schichau Unterweser AG
• Build Year: 1990
• Country of Build: Germany

Owner / Operator

• Owner: Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt (WSA)
• Operator: German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes – WSV)
• Country: Germany

Navigation / Communications Equipment

• AIS Transponder: Class A (active, transmitting)
• GMDSS Equipped: Yes
• Radio Call: DFDR

Operating Region

• Primary Area: German inland waterways and coastal waters, including the North Sea and Baltic Sea approaches
• Port of Registry: Germany
• Typical Service Area: Elbe, Weser, and associated federal waterway districts

Vessel Description

This vessel is operated by the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration and serves as a buoy tender and aids-to-navigation support vessel. Its primary mission includes the placement, maintenance, and retrieval of navigational buoys, markers, and other waterway signage critical to safe maritime traffic on German federal waterways. Built in 1990 by Schichau Unterweser AG, the vessel reflects the functional, robust design typical of government service tenders of that era. With a shallow draft and twin-screw propulsion, the vessel is well suited for operations in estuarine and coastal environments requiring precise maneuvering around navigational infrastructure.