Ship Report Podcasts: Pilot boats - a special breed

We’re doing another day of testing with the self-propelled scale model of T-2000. Obviously the conditions here do comprehensively exceed the designs operational envelope, as in scale proportion to the model, the waves must be I guess around 10-20 metres in size. However it’s interesting to understand the designs ultimate limits. The model is built to a scale of fourteen to one, and this equals 20 metres in real life size. Later, by slowing down the video, so that it matches the speed of...

Floating pilot transfer station for the provision of pilots in the Weser estuary / German Bight sets sail again after a stay of several hours for supplies at Willy Brandt Platz on the Weser. The ship is approx. 61 metres long, 25 metres wide and has a draught of approx. 6.4 metres. It was completed at the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard in 2010. The catamaran-style hull construction is striking. Slight distortions in the picture are due to the stabilisation in Google Photos.
Original sound...

Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA) is seeking a contractor to build and deliver a new pilot vessel as part of a major project to upgrade its fleet of vessels. The contract for the work is currently being put out to tender and interested parties are encouraged to apply before the deadline of 8 May, 17.00.

SOMERSET, Mass. – DATE – The Galveston-Texas City Pilots have ordered a fourth launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery is scheduled for in late 2022.

Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) witnessed the transit of HMM ALGECIRAS, the world's largest container vessel, on its maiden voyage since its launching last April. It transited among the south convoy, via the New Suez Canal, heading from Yantian to Rotterdam.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK vessels worldwide, and other vessels in UK territorial waters. Here is the annual report of 2020.

A ride along with a harbor pilot as he guided a cargo ship from Galveston Bay through the Houston Ship Channel into a port on Buffalo Bayou.

Following in a long line of ever more refined and very seaworthy vessels, this small example of a Safehaven pilot boat has been chosen for operations on and around Scotland’s Cromarty Firth.

To minimize the risk of a vessel allision with a terminal gantry crane, the American Harbor and Docking Pilots Association recommends that all terminal operators with gantry cranes adopt the following Best Practices.