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BPN-30 Kozara

The special purpose ship BPN-30 "Kozara" is the command ship of the River Flotilla of the Serbian Army. Special Purpose Ship “Kozara” (BPN-30) is a multi-purpose ship, originally called the RPB-30 River Auxiliary Ship-Base. It was purchased from Regensburg, Germany in 1961 as a replacement for the command ship RRM-11 “Fruška Gora”. The ship "Kozara" has a very special history: it was launched under the name "Kriemhild" on September 15, 1939, at the very beginning of the Second World War in Linz, the hometown of Adolf Hitler. During the Second World War, he was a member of the Danube Fleet of the Third Reich. She got her name from that of a Nibelung princess and was used during the Second World War for "increase of morale, leisure and relaxation" of German officers that were paryicularly outstanding at the Eastern front. In other words it was used as a whore-house.

It sailed under the flag of the German Navy as part of the Black Sea Fleet until the end of World War II, as a command ship for naval and river forces in the Danube, Black Sea and Dnieper sector. After the Allied victory, Krimhild turned to the American forces in Regensburg.

In June 1946, the ship was "demilitarized" and transferred to the Bavarian Lloyd company from Regensburg. The ship came to Yugoslavia in 1960, in exchange for a cargo ship and finally handed over to the Yugoslav Navy. On May 29, 1961, on the dock near Donja Gradina, the execution site and cemetery of the Jasenovac concentration and death camps, it was named "Kozara" in memory of the superhuman suffering of the Kozara people and the sacrifices he made in the victory over Nazism.

The characteristics of the ship coincided with the expressed needs of the River Flotilla in the 1960s for a vessel intended for the command post of the unit and the accommodation of members of the headquartes. The Commission of the Navy Command conducted a survey of the ship in Regensburg from 6 to 15 June 1960 and suggested that the ship be purchased. After joining the River Flotilla, the ship was docked in Donja Gradina on May 29, 1961 and was named "Kozara".

High quality steel was used for the base of the ship's construction. The sailing distance is 6,120 km at economical speed with a 45-day autonomy. Originally, the ship had a displacement of 600 tons, length 67 m, width 9.5 m and draft 1.2 m. It was powered by two 294 kW "RV6-M-345" diesel engines, with a top speed of 21 km/h. In 60 years, the ship had a total of 16,850 operating hours; the average exploitation was 280 hours per year. Today, the ship is powered by diesel-electric propulsion composed of a diesel engine "Caterpillar" and an electric motor "Koncar" designed to power two propellers, with a total power of 800 kW, with a speed of 26 km/h.

“Kozara” had a 47-members crew for much of its exploitation, but with organizational changes over the decades of service and the introduction of modern equipment, the number of members gradually decreased. Since the reorganization of the unit carried out in 2008, the number of crew members is 30, with changes and adjustments to the structure of the staff deployed in accordance with the requirements for the exploitation of newly built devices.

The ship's armament was changed by first installing three 20 mm M-55/III three-barrel cannon. The combat kit used to be: 10,800 20 mm rounds, 70 R-1 mines, or 50 KMD-2-500 (s) mines. The built-in light rocket systems for the air defence of the ship caused the reduction of the ship's artillery weapons, so today there is a three-barrel 20 mm cannon on the bow. “Kozara” has the ability to deploy and accommodate 250 soldiers with personal weapons and equipment. It is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation-information system, facilities and devices.

At the shipyard "Apatin", from November 2009 to September 2013, the docking of "Kozara" was carried out, with the modification and general overhaul of the ship. Modification of ship systems within the general overhaul of BPN-30 “Kozara” encompassed all ship systems: from propulsion and power, through internal and external ship communication systems, to equipping with the most up-to-date navigation and information system. The ship has been equipped with new equipment for steering, anchoring and mooring of the ship, navigation and signal lights, drainage system (waste and technical water), fire protection system, new drinking water tanks of a total of 22 tons.

The special purpose ship “Kozara” is the first surface warship with diesel-electric propulsion in Serbia and the region. The main purpose of the ship is to serve as a command post and base for the accommodation and stay of members of the River Flotilla in all three missions. In addition to the function of the command ship BPN-30 “Kozara” also serves for protocol honors and receptions for the highest state and military officials, as well as for training in navigation and shipping of all personnel of the river units, shipping schools and professional institutions.

"The return of the ship "Kozara", which in addition to the function of the command ship of the River Flotilla has the functional capabilities of the protocol and hospital ship, as well as the ship for training cadets of river units and all shipping schools and institutions from navigation and shipping, in the formation of the unit, means levels of operational capabilities by elements of command and efficient use of resources of the River Flotilla" said Colonel Andrija Andric, Commander of the River Flotilla.