Next Generation Pilot Boat

Sullom Voe Pilot boat out on a task

Some impressions from a sail on the Falmouth Pilot Cutter Pellew in October 2021. The Pellew was built by Luke Powell and his team in Truro at https://www.workingsail.co.uk/ between 2017 and 2020.
Trips on Pellew can be booked through Venturesail on their website https://venturesailholidays.com/voyage-finder

The 16.3-meter aluminium pilot boat includes features aimed at performance and crew safety: • Twin Caterpillar C18 engines (2 x 400 hp) • Traditional shaft and propeller system • Top speed of 25 knots, cruising at 22 knots • Air suspension seats, autopilot, and interceptor system • Heated decks, rails, and windows • Crew accommodation for six • Galley for two and diesel heating for cold-weather operation • 2 x 1300-liter fuel tanks for extended range “This is not just a boat. This is a...

Already published for the first time in September 2020: Maritime piloting operations involve on-call work schedules that may lead to sleep loss and circadian misalignment. The study documented pilot work scheduling practices.

The ship could not slow down and sailed against the Old North Lock - “Alte Schleuse Nord”.

On 30 March 2023, a fatal accident occurred in the North Sea near IJmuiden during a pilot transfer from the pilot boat to a seagoing vessel.

Improvements to pilots’ situation awareness (SA) in maritime navigation are critical to reducing human errors, which have caused 75% to 96% of marine accidents over the last few years.

A loaded bulk carrier is a bit tricky to handle, do to all that mass: de require a lot of power in order to be stopped. This is why this maneuver are normally slower. Same applies to tankers.