Press release Hamburg Port Authority
"Flotte Hamburg" is starting the new year with the award of a contract for a new pilot transfer vessel. Baltic Workboats AS in Estonia was awarded the contract to build the approximately 18 metre long vessel, which will be named "Hamburg Pilot 1", following a Europe-wide tender. The construction costs for the new vessel are in the region of three million euros. There is an option to place an order for another pilot transfer vessel of the same design.
The procurement process was led by the "New Construction and Innovation" department of Flotte Hamburg in close coordination with the Hamburg Harbour Pilot Brotherhood. When selecting the model, the focus was on maximum operational capability in pilot transfer service and high manoeuvrability in the port area. As with the newbuilds commissioned last year by the Hamburg fleet for the waterway police, a tried-and-tested type vessel is once again being used.
"The innovative bow shape of the ship enables wave piercing, so that the hull is raised less by swell. This significantly improves the comfort of the crew and pilots on board. In addition, the pilot transfer vessel also generates fewer waves itself," explains Karsten Schönewald, Managing Director of Flotte Hamburg. Once completed, "Hamburg Pilot 1" will replace the "Lotse 3". Delivery of the newbuild is planned for 2025.
"Flotte Hamburg" is starting the new year with the award of a contract for a new pilot transfer vessel. Baltic Workboats AS in Estonia was awarded the contract to build the approximately 18 metre long vessel, which will be named "Hamburg Pilot 1", following a Europe-wide tender. The construction costs for the new vessel are in the region of three million euros. There is an option to place an order for another pilot transfer vessel of the same design.
The procurement process was led by the "New Construction and Innovation" department of Flotte Hamburg in close coordination with the Hamburg Harbour Pilot Brotherhood. When selecting the model, the focus was on maximum operational capability in pilot transfer service and high manoeuvrability in the port area. As with the newbuilds commissioned last year by the Hamburg fleet for the waterway police, a tried-and-tested type vessel is once again being used.
"The innovative bow shape of the ship enables wave piercing, so that the hull is raised less by swell. This significantly improves the comfort of the crew and pilots on board. In addition, the pilot transfer vessel also generates fewer waves itself," explains Karsten Schönewald, Managing Director of Flotte Hamburg. Once completed, "Hamburg Pilot 1" will replace the "Lotse 3". Delivery of the newbuild is planned for 2025.
As with all newbuildings in the Hamburg fleet, the focus is on environmental protection: the new pilot transfer vessel will therefore be equipped with the latest exhaust gas treatment technology in combination with the synthetic fuel GTL (gas-to-liquids). The technology and design of the ship are geared towards low consumption. Based on the fleet's new zero-emission strategy, the ship will be refuelled with climate-neutral fuels at a later date. No technical conversions are necessary for this.
Henrik Lüders, Senior Pilot of the Brotherhood of Harbour Pilots Hamburg: "I am very pleased about the construction of the new pilot transfer boat. As a brotherhood of pilots, we are closely involved in the planning of this boat and are confident that the new vessel will make our transfer operations in Hamburg even safer, more efficient, more environmentally friendly and more reliable."
Henrik Lüders, Senior Pilot of the Brotherhood of Harbour Pilots Hamburg: "I am very pleased about the construction of the new pilot transfer boat. As a brotherhood of pilots, we are closely involved in the planning of this boat and are confident that the new vessel will make our transfer operations in Hamburg even safer, more efficient, more environmentally friendly and more reliable."
