Portland Harbour News

UK boat builder Goodchild Marine Services Limited said it is to build a new pilot boat for Portland Harbour Authority in Dorset. The Great Yarmouth based company will construct an ORC 121 for Portland Port; part of broader investment the port is making to enable larger cruise ships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships to berth alongside. Scheduled to enter service in 2025, the vessel will be the third pilot boat of its class in the Southwest, built and supplied by Goodchild Marine in recent years.Features of this class of vessel include a beak bow hull design with minimal drag…

On September 18, Portland Port held the official naming ceremony of the newest tug to enter the fleet, the Rupert Best.It was announced earlier this year that the new tug would be arriving at Portland Port following its construction in 2019. The tug was built in Turkey to a Robert Allen design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class ‘RAmparts 2200’ azimuth stern drive tug will improve and help support the port’s ability to welcome larger vessels.The multimillion-dollar tug entered service earlier this year shortly after the passing of Commander Best.

The crew of 'HMS Bulwark' serves as hub in Portland Harbour for the security effort surrounding the Paralympic sailing events. The assault ship serves as the command and control centre for maritime security operations around Portland for the duration of the Paralympic Games. From her operations room, Bulwark directs the movements of Royal Marines raiding craft, patrol boats and civilian launches and boats, fed by live imagery of the waters around Weymouth by special cameras fitted to Fleet Air Arm Merlin helicopters on patrol overhead.