Focus on Marine Pilotage

The pilot boats included in this latest lineup of vessel reviews are for customers across a broad geographical range, from the US East Coast to Europe, the Middle East, and finally in South Asia. Two of the vessels are refits with one having formerly operated as an oil spill response platform.

The boats’ builders are also geographically diverse as represented by shipyards in France, Ireland, Turkey, the US, and Sri Lanka. The French-, Irish-, and US-built boats are for local operators while the remaining two are in fulfilment of overseas orders.

Vessel Reviews:

• VESSEL REFIT | Maguelonne – Fully-electric pilot boat to enter service off southeastern France
• Shatt Al-Arab – Sri Lanka-built pilot station vessel to operate in Iraq
• Balblair – Irish-built pilot boat to serve Cromarty Firth, Scotland
• VESSEL REFIT | New York – Former oil spill cleanup vessel rebuilt for pilot station duties
• Heer & Sassi – Pilot boat pair delivered to Port Qasim, Pakistan
• Rubani 1 – Durable pilot boat trio for Tanzania Ports Authority
• Celso Madeira – Fast, all-weather pilot boat for Portugal’s Sines Port

News and Gear:

• MAIB reiterates call to report unsafe pilot boarding ladders
• AD Ports Group, Red Sea Ports Authority form consortium to undertake infrastructure projects in Egypt
• India’s Adani Ports acquires local harbour services company
• Poseidon Sea Pilots welcomes new boat to fleet
• New pilot boat to be delivered to UK-based Williams Shipping
• New pilot boat to serve Savannah, Georgia

Recent Important Features:

AWARDS 2021 | Best Large Pilot Boat – Mantaray – Hart Marine

– “The boat features a unique beak bow hull form, which reduces slamming, vertical acceleration, and fatigue of pilots besides improving the wave-piercing ability, thereby reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency.”

AWARDS 2021 | Best Catamaran Pilot Boat – Ybor – Jutson Marine Design & ACI Boats

– “The owners wanted to add a level of nimbleness and performance so that more could be achieved in a given time period.”

AWARDS 2021 | Best Small Pilot Boat – P2 – Cantiere Nautico Portegrandi

– “Its most noteworthy attributes are its spacious superstructure compared with its small dimensions, detailing similar to what is found on leisure boats, and improved safety and comfortable sailing thanks to cutting edge features and electronics.”

Remember to come back every day to see the latest news, opinion and vessel reviews!

Call for content!

Any news or views about the global pilotage industry? Send it through to [email protected] ASAP (between now and June 17), so we can add it to this current edition of Pilotage Week!

We are after:

• Vessels – Orders, new deliveries, under construction
• Gear – Latest innovations and technology in the pilot boat sector
• Interviews – Owners, operators, port authorities, marine pilotage associations, etc.
• Reminiscences – Do you have any exciting, amusing or downright dangerous anecdotes from your time in the marine pilotage world? (example here)
• Other – Any other relevant news

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