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Pilot Boats News

21 Mar 2024

Danish Pilot Makes a LEGO Model of His DanPilot Boat

Pilot boat driver, Espen Andersen’s LEGO model of the boat he sails for DanPilot. Image courtesy DanPilot

Espen Andersen, a pilot boat driver for DanPilot, the independent public enterprise owned by the Danish state, takes his love of maritime and LEGOs to new heights, creating a LEGO model of the pilot boat he sails for Svendborg, Denmark-based company. Andersen has registered the pilot boat for LEGO Ideas, a forum where fans can submit suggestions for upcoming LEGO sets. If the idea is to become a reality and be considered for a new production at LEGO, the pilot boat needs to receive 10,000 votes.“At DanPilot, many passionate seafarers work on dedicated hobby projects.

07 Mar 2024

Briggs Marine Adds New Pilot Boat in the UK

(Image: Briggs Marine)

Briggs Marine announced its is adding a new pilot vessel to its fleet in response to demand for pilot services within the U.K.Built by Goodchild Marine and scheduled for delivery in March, the Forth Navigator is a 12m version of the now well-established ORC design, incorporating the high levels of performance and crew comfort, Briggs Marine said.From March 2024, the Forth Navigator will be available for charter for a range of activities, including pilot boat duties and harbor patrol either on a short or long-term basis.

30 Jan 2024

Goodchild to Build Pilot Vessel for the Port of London

(Image: Port of London Authority)

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a contract with British family-run company, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, to build a new pilot vessel.PLA’s Director of Marine Operations, Steven Clapperton, said, “Goodchild has proven over many years that they are at the leading edge of vessel design and build. This new vessel is designed specifically for our current and future operational needs, and will incorporate the latest in technology, reducing fuel consumption, minimising environmental impacts…

27 Dec 2023

Alabama Pilots Receive New Launch from Gladding-Hearn

(Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

The Alabama Pilot, Inc. in Mobile, Ala., has taken delivery of its second Chesapeake Class high-speed pilot boat, Mobile Pilot, from Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery of its first Chesapeake launch, Dixey, was in 2017.With a length overall of 53.6’, a beam of 17.8’, and a draft of 4.6’, the new all-aluminum pilot boat, features the Ray Hunt Design deep-V hull. It is powered by twin Caterpillar C-18 diesel engines, each delivering 671Bhp at 2100 rpm and a top speed of 27 knots.

20 Nov 2023

BRIX Marine Launches New Pilot Boat

(Photo: BRIX Marine)

Port Angeles, Wash. boatbuilder BRIX Marine has launched its newest pilot boat, Aldebaran, for a customer in Central America.The trailerable 11.3-meter-long rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) is powered by twin 300-horsepower Yamaha outboards with 3 bl 15.75" X 18" SS props.The boat's Naiad hull has a 23 degrees progressive deadrise,, 5086 alloy aluminum hull skins, D-shaped foam EV50 (approx.

08 Nov 2023

Gladding-Hearn Delivers New Pilot Boat to Bermuda

(Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation)

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered a Chesapeake Class pilot boat to the Bermuda Government, Department of Marine and Port Services. It follows delivery of a 61’ pilot/rescue vessel to the port services in 2011.The new all-aluminum launch is certified to Lloyd’s Register class and replaces a 10-knot steel pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass. shipyard in 1980. With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new boat measures 52.11’ overall, with a 15.10’ beam and a 4.8’ draft.

04 Oct 2023

Lake Charles Pilots Orders Launch from Gladding-Hearn

(Image: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

With three Gladding-Hearn pilot boats already in their fleet, the Louisiana-based Lake Charles pilots have ordered another launch from the Somerset, Mass., shipyard.Based on the Cameron Pilot II delivered in 2019, the new all-aluminum pilot boat features the Deep V hull by Ray Hunt Design and has an overall length of 73’, beam of 23’, and draft of 5.3’. It will be powered by twin Cummins QSK38-M1, EPA Tier 4-certified diesel engines, each delivering 1,300 Bhp at 1,800 rpm and a top speed of over 27 knots.

21 Sep 2023

Baltic Workboats Delivers New Launch for the Laurentian Pilotage Authority

(Photo: Baltic Workboats)

The Laurentian Pilotage Authority (LPA), based in Montreal, Canada, provides pilotage services in Canadian waters in and around the province of Quebec where cold weather can often be an issue for marine operators. So when it came time to order a new pilot boat, the LPA sought a vessel that could stand up to the region’s frigid conditions.The pilots turned to Estonia-based Baltic Workboats for the design and construction of the ice-capable Shipeku, a new 17-meter aluminum pilot…

07 Sep 2023

Safehaven Marine Launches New Pilot Boat for Svitzer

(Photo: Safehaven Marine)

Safehaven Marine, an Irish builder of pilot, patrol and survey vessels, this week launched a new pilot boat for Svitzer’s operations at Tanger Med 2 in Morocco.The newly built Svitzer Oued Laou is powered by a pair of 500-horsepower Volvo Penta D13 engines. The 48-foot launch has an operational speed of 24.5 knots carrying seven pilots and crew. The vessel is self-righting and capable of operating in all weather conditions, the builder said.Safehaven Marine said the vessel is the fourth Interceptor 48 pilot boat supplied to Svitzer.

07 Sep 2023

Wrong Approach to Protect the Right Whale

© norrie39 / Adobe Stock

Pilot groups and port authorities have worked together to grow East Coast ports in a safe and environmentally responsible way. This growth has happened under strict safety and environmental regulations, including seasonal vessel speed regulations imposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to protect North Atlantic right whales (NARW). Last year, however, without sufficient scientific or economic impact data, NOAA proposed radical changes to these regulations.

17 Aug 2023

US Coast Guard Proposes 2024 Great Lakes Pilotage Rates

© Holden / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register outlining U.S. Great Lakes pilotage rates for the 2024 shipping season.The new rates seek to generate revenue for each of the three U.S. Great Lakes pilot associations by implementing hourly charges for pilotage services according to geographic area. Pilotage rates are paid by vessel operators serving Great Lakes ports.The Coast Guard proposes to increase the overall cost of U.S. Great Lakes pilotage in 2024 compared to 2023 by $1.9 million or 5%.

25 Jul 2023

NOAA and American Pilots’ Association Partner to Enhance Navigation Safety

© Val Traveller / Adobe Stock

On July 17, 2023, senior leaders of the American Pilots’ Association (APA)  and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that calls for the two parties to cooperate and share information so that APA and NOAA can better carry out their respective roles and responsibilities related to safe maritime navigation in America’s ports and waterways. Rear Admiral Benjamin Evans (Director…

11 Jul 2023

Singapore Port Authority Seeks Proposals for Fully Electric Harbor Craft

© Joan Vadell / Adobe Stock

Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has issued an expression of interest (EOI) calling for proposals to design and promote the use of fully electric harbor craft in Singapore, it said in a statement on Tuesday.The EOI document is a further step towards MPA's rule that all new harbor craft operating in its waters to be fully electric, or run on biofuels or net-zero fuels from 2030. The final aim is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.Proposals have to be submitted before midnight on Sept.

30 May 2023

Fishing Vessel Sinks After Colliding with Pilot Boat in Virginia

A 38-foot deadrise fishing vessel, the Miss Heather, sinks after colliding with a pilot boat near the Newport News Small Boat Harbor, in the James River, Virginia, on May 30, 2023. The pilot aboard the Swift rescued the two fishermen from the Miss Heather and brought them aboard the pilot boat as the fishing vessel rapidly took on water. (Photo: U.S. Coast. Guard)

A fishing vessel quickly sank after colliding with a pilot boat near Newport News, Va. on Tuesday.The U.S. Coast Guard said it was alerted at 7:50 a.m. that the Virginia Pilot Association pilot boat Swift and a 38-foot deadrise fishing vessel Miss Heather collided near the Newport News Small Boat Harbor.A pilot aboard the Swift rescued two fishermen from the Miss Heather and brought them aboard as the fishing vessel rapidly took on water and sank.A rescue crew aboard a 45-foot…

25 May 2023

Maryland Pilots Order Another Launch from Gladding-Hearn

(Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

The Association of Maryland Pilots has ordered a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The high-speed vessel is a sistership to its first Baltimore Class launch, delivered less than two years ago. Delivery is scheduled for 2024. With a length overall of 48.5’, beam of 15.6’, and draft of 4’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the Ray Hunt Design deep V hull. It will be powered by twin Volvo Penta D13, EPA Tier 3-compliant diesel engines, each delivering 600 hp at 1,900 rpm with a top speed of 30 knots.

03 Apr 2023

Gladding-Hearn Delivers Refitted Launch to Tampa Bay Pilots

(Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

The Tampa Bay pilot association has taken delivery of Tampa, a newly refitted Chesapeake Class pilot boat built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in 2003, when the Somerset, Mass. shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots also took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. “After 19 years of hard work, the vessel was showing some wear and tear but she still had a lot of life left so it was definitely worth re-investing in…

14 Mar 2023

Snow & Company Launches San Francisco Pilot Boat

(Photo: Snow & Company)

Seattle shipbuilder Snow & Company on Tuesday launched a new pilot boat it is building for the San Francisco Bar Pilots.The 67-foot-long, all-aluminum vessel Golden Gate was designed by U.K. firm Camarc Design and is capable of speeds up to 30 knots.The vessel is is powered by MAN D2862 LE 438 1,200HP US EPA Tier 4 engines that drive Hamilton HTX52 waterjets through Twin Disc MGX 6599 SC gearboxes. The vessel is also equipped with Northern Lights M944T3F 38kW generators.It has…

14 Mar 2023

Fremantle Ports Orders New Pilot Boats

(Photo: Dongara Marine)

Western Australia’s Fremantle Ports has awarded a $7.6m contract to Geraldton boat and ship builders, Dongara Marine, to construct two new pilot boats to enhance its small boat fleet.The first pilot boat is scheduled for delivery in mid-2024 and the second later that yearFremantle Ports CEO Michael Parker said the new pilot vessels would be pivotal in the organization's continued delivery of an efficient and highly-reliable service to ship owners, shipping agents and customers.“At the core of our operations is the safe…

08 Mar 2023

Crescent River Port Pilots Order Two Vessels from Snow & Company

(Image: Snow & Company)

Seattle shipbuilder Snow & Company announced it has been awarded a contract to build a pair of 50-foot pilot boats for the Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association, based in Louisiana. Designed by U.K.-based Camarc Design, the all-aluminum vessels have a refined hull with enhanced fuel efficiencies and reduced slamming accelerations, which provide excellent all-around seakeeping capabilities and a pilot specific shape to facilitate safe boarding operations.The vessels will be powered by twin Volvo Penta D13-800 EPA Tier 3 marine diesel engines…

23 Jan 2023

Maryland Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn

The Association of Maryland Pilots has ordered its fifth Chesapeake Class launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery is scheduled for early 2024.With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum launch measures 52.6’ overall, with a 16.8’ beam and a 4.8’ draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D16, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each producing 641 Bhp at 1800 rpm; the vessel’s top speed is expected to reach over 26 knots. A Humphree interceptor trim control system, with its Automatic Trim Optimization, will be installed at the transom.

24 Jan 2023

Montrose Port Takes Delivery of its First Newbuild Pilot Boat

South Esk is the Montrose Port Authority's first ever newly built pilot boat. (Photo: Montrose Port Authority)

Montrose Port Authority at the end of 2022 welcomed into service its first ever purpose-built pilot boat, South Esk.The new £800,000 vessel was constructed by Safehaven Marine, in Youghal, Ireland and completed its sea trials at the Port of Cork before making its way to Montrose by traveling across the Irish Sea to Oban, around the top of Scotland and down the East coast.The Interceptor 48 model launch is the first newbuild pilot boat in Montrose’s 200-year trust port history…

28 Feb 2023

St Johns Bar Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn

(Image: Gladding- St Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation)

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, announced it has received an order from the St. Johns Bar Pilots for a new high-speed launch.The newbuild, to be based on the Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder's 40-foot Resilient Class pilot boat introduced in 2005, is scheduled to be delivered to the Florida-based pilots in mid-2024—the pilots’ fourth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat since 1962.Designed by Ray Hunt Design, the all-aluminum launch measures 35 feet overall. It has a 13-foot beam, including the foam collar, and a 3-foot draft.

01 Feb 2023

Anchorage Launch Gets New Metal Shark-built Crew Boat

Image credit: Metal Shark

Metal Shark delivered a welded-aluminum 45 Defiant crew boat to Anchorage Launch Services Company, an Oregon-based operator providing launch, line, pilotage, and cargo services to vessels on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.Designed in-house by the Metal Shark engineering team and built at the company’s Jeanerette, La., production facility, the 47 x 12 ft. twin-diesel waterjet-powered “Triumph VII” is now in service.“Our captains, crew, and passengers have all been very impressed with the capabilities of our new vessel,” said Alex Scott, COO of Anchorage Launch.