Pilot Association News

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…

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…

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…

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten announced it has been hired by San Francisco Bar Pilots to design new station boats that will meet California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission requirements.Glosten’s support of the new station boats includes a propulsion feasibility study, which is currently underway, and a contract design package.The first two station boats are expected to be in service by the end of 2024, with the third in service by the end of 2025, making San Francisco Bar Pilots the first pilot association in California to acquire vessels that will meet CARB’s Commercial Harbor Craft Regulation. The rules…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has returned its first Chesapeake Class pilot boat to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. Tampa was built in 2003 when the shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. With more than 50,000 operating hours, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat will be repowered and undergo repairs after a thorough inspection by the shipyard’s quality control department.

Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation said it has won a contract to build a new high-speed, harbor pilot boat for the Virginia Pilot Association.Scheduled for delivery in mid-2023, the new vessel will be the pilots’ tenth launch built by Gladding-Hearn.The all-aluminum launch displaces about 2,000 pounds less than a similar sized offshore pilot boat. As a result, the boat accelerates faster and reaches a higher top speed, explained Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president and director of sales.

Dozens of South Louisiana middle and high school students eager to learn about careers in the maritime industry enjoyed a cool, windy autumn day on the mighty Mississippi River in St. Bernard Parish at the first-of-its-kind Maritime Field Trip.The daylong field trip was organized and coordinated by a group of maritime industry partners and featured Crescent River Port Pilots. The educational trip taught the students the importance of river safety and the dramatic impact mariners…

The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a Chesapeake Class MK II launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, its ninth pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1983.The Virginia pilots’ new launch Richmond incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS three-pod system and Humphree interceptors. “The combination of the Volvo Penta IPS system and the Humphree interceptors produces lower sound levels and improved comfort and higher speed, while burning about 25 percent less fuel…

When it comes to the EPA’s recent proposed delay to implementation of Tier 4 marine diesel engines ‘in certain high-speed commercial vessels,’ where you stand probably depends on where you sit.On September 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection agency (EPA) proposed to delay implementation of Tier 4 marine diesel engines “in certain high-speed commercial vessels.” Specifically; EPA mentions three kinds of vessels: lobster boats, pilot boats and a third, more open-ended reference to “other high-speed vessels,” possibly including hovercraft.

Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, the classic Maine boat designer and builder will build to Baltic Workboats design for the domestic workboat market.Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, the classic Maine boat designer and builder will announce at this year’s International WorkBoat Show that it has entered into the domestic workboat market as the Jones Act builder for the Estonian, Baltic Workboats wave piercing pilot boat, currently popular with Danish and Belgian pilots.How do you feel about taking on something as unusual as building a pilot boat designed and built in Estonia…

The Virginia Pilot Association has ordered a Chesapeake-class launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, its ninth pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1983.Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding said that its Somerset shipyard delivered 19 Chesapeake-class pilot boats  to 11 pilot associations throughout the United States.The Virginia pilots’ new boat incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 3 pod system and Humphree interceptors. “The combination of the Volvo Penta IPS system and the Humphree interceptors gives the pilots faster acceleration and higher speeds and improved comfort, while burning about 25 percent less fuel…

Brazos Pilot Association President Captain Billy Burns said its newest boat, Brazos Pilot, is a vessel tailored to fit the job and provide the pilot association with performance dependability and the safety systems integration to fulfill their maritime mission.The 64 x 19-ft. Defiant-class mono-hull pilot boat arrived two weeks ago and will be christened at a ceremony on Jan. 31. It was designed by Metal Shark and built at the company’s Franklin, La. shipyard. The $2.5 million new pilot boat is intended to replace the pilots’ smaller pilot boat…

Voices: Ron Huibers, President and CEO, Volvo Penta of the AmericasVolvo Penta has a reputation for pioneering innovations in marine propulsion. To learn more about what the company has on its drawing boards we talked with Ron Huibers, president and CEO of Volvo Penta of the Americas.Please give us a snapshot of your commercial marine business in North America?Our marine commercial business in the Americas has seen great growth, and it now represents a significant portion of our business, along with our leisure marine and industrial engine segments.

Humphree makes inroads in North American markets with vessel stabilization technology.If you haven’t yet heard of Humphree – the Sweden-based supplier of vessel stabilization systems – then, more than likely, that’s about to change. The firm’s penetration into the North American commercial and leisure marine market has seen its equipment on several vessels, including high-profile deployments like the new Seastreak high-speed commuting ferry.Founded in 2002 by a team of hydrodynamic and marine engineers…

MarineLink was given the opportunity to ride aboard the Virginia Pilot Association's new pilot boat Hampton Roads.The newly-built Chesapeake class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding was delivered earlier this summer, equipped with a range of state-of-the-art technologies for improved safety, stability, reliability and efficiency.Chief among Hampton Roads' high-tech features is its Volvo Penta propulsion system. The vessel is powered by twin D13-700, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines…

The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a Chesapeake class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. The MKII, a new generation of the shipyard’s Chesapeake class launch, is the Virginia pilots’ eighth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat.The Somerset, Mass. shipyard has delivered 20 Chesapeake class pilot boats throughout the U.S. since introducing the series in 2003. The latest improvements incorporate the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 3 pod system, which provides for higher speed…

Federal Pilots to appeal. Local spat has regional and national implications. The Galveston-Texas City Pilots and the five-member Board of Pilot Commissioners for Galveston County are facing a serious legal challenge from five pilot applicants and their local attorney. In a nutshell, local, federally licensed and similarly qualified pilots want to compete for business in a previously closed space. In Texas, like virtually every other U.S. state, a local group of pilots – so-called ‘state pilots’ are given the privilege of providing all marine pilot services for deep draft registered (foreign) traffic. In essence, it amounts to a legal monopoly.

When marine safety collides with environmental advocacy and non-maritime business interests, the discussion can be contentious, confusing and cumbersome. In June 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) opened a public comment period regarding new anchorage zones in the Hudson River; usually a rather low-key set of issues. This proved different. Opponents jumped on the proposal – initially suggested by three maritime organizations – as a backdoor way to facilitate a huge expansion in crude oil shipments on the Hudson.

Where commercial marine and safety considerations allide with recreational and other peripheral agendas, the discussion can sometimes be contentious. One such example of this reality is now playing out on the Hudson River in New York. On June 9, 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard published a three-page Federal Register notice, seeking public comments on a proposal suggesting new anchorage grounds in the Hudson River, from Yonkers to Kingston, N.Y. Officially, this was an advance notice of proposed rulemaking…

Netherlands-based Mariserve has purchased a secondhand pilot boat, Mercury, previously owned by the Dutch Pilot Association. The Mercury will continue under the name Sirocco. This vessel is the ninth vessel previously owned by the Dutch Pilot Association of which Damen Trading has handled the sale as exclusive broker. Damen said it intends to continue this cooperation for the next couple of years when the next pilot boats become available. The vessels ranged in size from small pilot boats like the Mercury to larger, 55 meters long Pilot Station vessels.

A little-known annual American commemoration is coming up again on May 22 - National Maritime Day. It was declared by Congress in 1933 to call attention to America’s proud maritime heritage and to honor the men and women who serve and have served as U.S. merchant mariners. It’s also a day to recognize and reflect on the rewards that America’s ports bring the country in terms of jobs, economic development, goods movement and international competitiveness. For the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)—the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas—National Maritime Day offers the nation’s ports a great opportunity to showcase the value of their facilities, operations and personnel to their respective communities.

Host of U.S. A little-known annual American commemoration is coming up again on May 22: National Maritime Day, declared by Congress in 1933 to call attention to America’s maritime heritage and to honor the men and women who serve and have served as U.S. merchant mariners. It’s also a day to recognize and reflect on the rewards that America’s ports bring the country in terms of jobs, economic development, goods movement and international competitiveness. For the American Association…

On Tuesday, February 9 at around 3am, local time, the containership CSCL Indian Ocean has been able continue her voyage to the Port of Hamburg. the ship with the help of tugs back into the navigation channel, without any one being injured or damage to the environment. A total of 12 tugs were involved in the operation. First the ship was made lighter by pumping off fuel and ballast. Dredgers and water jets prepared the ground around the ship for refloating. The tide, higher than normal, provided additional help for the operation. "Once again we have seen that in this special situation on the Elbe, all emergency services worked very professionally and effectively together…