Reimagining Careers in the Public Service - Vernon Harrison

This is the new Bermuda pilot/SAR boat 'St. David'. Its intended to operate up to 30miles off the island in the open north Atlantic but capable of going much further. She is a Gladding Hearn built, all weather 61' aluminum hull capable of about 30kts. She replaces a 23 year old pilot boat with the same name.

The Ministry of Transport can confirm that the pilot boat, St David, was involved in a crash with a reef off of the Northeast Breaker Beacon on Thursday, May 6th, 2021 at 6:48am.

Bermuda’s Department of Marine and Port Services has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp., for a new Chesapeake-class pilot boat. The launch will be built to Lloyd’s Register class, with delivery scheduled for early 2023. The Somerset, Mass., shipyard built a 61-foot pilot/rescue vessel for the port service in 2011.

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

A cargo ship lost power while approaching the dock at the Port of Tampa Thursday. Officials said quick thinking by harbor pilots and tug boats got it under control.

Movement to Universal Terminal Jetty 7, bridge view with Pilot Onboard

Going down the accommodation ladder with neither lifevest nor safety line must have been based on similar, past, successful operations, which may have never been challenged on board. This ‘slippage’ in safety is a pernicious and common phenomenon.

An analysis by Ahmed Sati

In it´s August 2022 monthly safety scenario, the Swedish Club describes an accident where a pilot had fallen into the water, after one of the side ropes of the ladder broke.