Irish builder Safehaven Marine has completed construction of a new pilot boat ordered by the MVD Harbour Pilots Society of Montevideo, Uruguay.
The 18-metre Ederra 8 is the third overall pilot boat to be built by Safehaven for the same customer, following two 15-metre boats that were ordered in 2021. She belongs to a series of vessels, examples of which are already in service in the UAE.
"Ederra 8 is also the fastest pilot boat we’ve built by some margin, her Volvo 750hp (560kW) engines providing her with an operational speed over 30 knots," Safehaven Managing Director Frank Kowalski said in a social media post. "She is also extremely economical for such a large 18-metre pilot boat, using just 168 litres per hour at 24 knots."
The boat’s hull design is of a deep V, twin chine semi-displacement design providing excellent seakeeping especially in large waves, or where tidal influences introduce dangerous breaking seas. The design is capable of operating safely in all weather conditions up to and including Storm force 10 and 11 and wave heights up to eight metres.
