PILOT MARINE

Kvichak Delivers Savannah Pilot Boat

Kvichak Marine recently delivered the Georgia, a 75 x 21 ft. all-aluminum pilot boat, to the SPA, of Savannah, Georgia. Powered by twin Cummins KTA-38 M2 engines rated for 1350 BHP each and Hamilton 651 waterjets as the propulsors, the chosen combination provides for excellent maneuverability and a top speed of ~28 knots. To date, the Georgia is the largest Camarc-designed and Kvichak-built pilot boat operating for U.S. Pilot Associations. The boat is larger, with three comfortable staterooms aft and will provide unsurpassed safety and ride in all conditions. "The Georgia is absolutely in a class by herself," said Keith Whittemore, Kvichak's V.P. "To borrow shamelessly from our competitors, Gladding Hearn, we often refer to the new Georgia as the first Savannah Class pilot boat." The Georgia, will serve pilots boarding and disembarking at the entrance to the Savannah River and will operate in the twelve mile area between the pilot station and two miles east of the sea buoy. With the possibility of a harbor improvement plan, the distance could increase five miles. Completed on scheduled in August 2004 the new boat is being delivered to the east coast in September by one of the semi-submersible vessels of the Dockwise yacht delivery service that operates on schedule between Vancouver BC and Florida. The Georgia is the seventh pilot boat Carmac, Kvichak and Derector Shipyards, of New York have partnered on to design and built for U.S. pilot associations

Bar Pilots, New Orleans, Choose Raven TMS

Raven Aerostar say that the Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots) has selected its Traffic Management System. The system provides increased situational intelligence for Port of New Orleans ship pilots. Raven Aerostar's marine navigation aid systems are used by ship pilots in over a dozen ports in the U.S. The Bar Pilots recently ordered 35 Raven Traffic Management Systems, including the company's latest rate of turn sensor, Revolve.

Alaska Pilots Choose Navi-Sailor 4000

Transas USA has secured orders from more than 50 of the marine pilots associated in the three Alaska Pilot Regions for Navi-Sailor 4000 Pilot PPU software. The scope of supply included the NS 4000 Pilot software, Alaska TX-97 Electronic Chart coverage and a product software upgrade program. NS 4000 Pilot software was initially developed in cooperation with the Pilot Services of the Swedish Maritime Authorities. Based on the IMO type approved Navi-Sailor 4000 ECDIS software

Improved Safety on the Great Barrier Reef

The German marine software company SevenCs has partnered with Australian software company VoyageBank to deliver state of the art Portable Pilot Unit (PPU) technology to 50 marine pilots charged with responsibility for keeping the Great Barrier Reef free of shipping disasters. The three year deal, signed recently with Australian Reef Pilots (ARP), will bring high precision navigation, real-time monitoring, and centralised management of pilotage activities as part of the company’s

Coast Guard Establishes Mariner Physical Exam Requirements

The Coast Guard recently published two Federal Register notices relating to physical examination requirements for merchant mariners, based on National Transportation Safety Board recommendations issued following the catastrophic 2003 Staten Island ferry marine casualty in New York Harbor. The first notice announces and seeks public comment on a draft Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular on medical and physical evaluation guidelines for merchant mariner credentials

Kvichak to Build Pilot Boat, Fire Vessels

Camarc, Ltd. and Kvichak Marine Industries have teamed up once again to design and build an all-aluminum 72-ft. pilot boat. The new boat, scheduled for a Summer 2002 delivery, is for the Sabine Pilots Association of Groves, Texas and will operate year-round in the waters of Sabine Pass. Power is provided by twin Detroit Diesel 16V2000 engines rated for 1,285 bhp each at 2,100 rpm, and Hamilton HM651 waterjets were chosen as the propulsors

Pilot Boat Capsizes, One Dead

The body of the missing man from the pilot boat that capsized was located 3 miles south of the Galveston Jetties. A T & T Dive Team went into the water this morning and searched the capsized pilot boat, locating the missing pilot still inside. The man's body was taken to Coast Guard Station Galveston, where the captain of the Texas City Pilots Association was waiting. The pilot boat capsized Saturday afternoon after picking up a pilot from a research ship anchored in Galveston Bay

MARCO Delivers First of Two 104-ft. Boats for SF Bar Pilots

A few weeks before scheduled delivery of the first of two new 104-ft. pilot boats for the San Francisco Bar Pilots, Marco Shipyard Seattle managers were anticipating a smooth, on-time delivery – but everything changed during the vessel’s first sea trial. “At that late date we realized that the keel coolers that we specified and purchased were not adequate to cool the diesel generators. After we had already purchased the generator sets and the keel coolers, the diesel engines’ specifications

Major Shipping Company Upgrades to Iridium Pilot

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) announces that German shipping company Reederei Werner Bockstiegel has selected Iridium Pilot(TM) to upgrade its shipping fleet with broadband communications.   Globecomm Maritime, a long-standing Iridium partner, is offering Iridium Pilot as part of an upgraded "Telaurus se@COMM" communications package, and will manage the installation fleet-wide.  

Timmel Named International Maritime Person of the Year

Captain John C. Timmel, president and executive director of the American Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship and harbor pilot with the Tampa Bay Pilots Association, has been named "International Maritime Person of the Year" by the Propeller Club of the United States. "It is an honor to receive such a prestigious award from my peers that acknowledges not only my efforts, but also the efforts of many," said Timmel.