Next Generation Pilot Boat

If you fancy seeing what it’s like aboard during some rough weather sea trials, here’s a pretty cool little video of our Interceptor 48 pilot built for the Port of Sines. Some really great Arial drone footage and interesting POV (Point of view) with narration from aboard her in 5-6m seas and in 50kt winds 25 miles offshore.
How difficult is to land a drone back down on the boat in 5-6m swells and 45-50kt wind gusts? Pretty damn difficult as it turns out! Sometimes we fail as you’ll see at...

Azovo-Chernomorsky Basin Branch of FSUE "Rosmorport" purchased pilot boat Mechta.

The boat of 1459 project was made in 1985 at the Leningrad Shipyard "Pella" (Otradnoye, USSR).

In July 2021 DACOMA launched a new EU project: AMCOSTAR. Amcostar is a Eurostars/Eureka Network funded Eurostars project on Adaptive Control of Airkeel vessel stabilizer systems. The consortium partners, DACOMA ApS in Svendborg (DK), Syddansk Universitet - University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg (DK), and Automasjon & Data AS in Stavanger (NOR) and Tuco Marine ApS - ProZero Workboats (DK) in Faaborg, will optimize, test, and demonstrate an adaptively controlled Airkeel stabilizer on a...

March 8th 20201. Bulk carrier Camila outbound from Lough Foyle after carrying grain to Foyle Port at Lisahally. For this video I focused on the Foyle Leader and Foyle Pilots as they chased the ship to the outer portion of the lough where it enters the open sea.

Port Everglades Pilot Carl Mahler boarding the Submarine USS New Hampshire SSN 778 in rough weather.

This article was first published back in September 2021: Pilotage operations require close interaction between human and machines. This complex sociotechnical system is necessary to safely and efficiently maneuver a vessel in constrained waters.

The accidentology survey conducted in France between 2001 and 2021 found that pilots face significant risks during transfer phases while embarking or disembarking from ships that they are required to serve. To ensure their safety and improve transfers, pilots develop specific procedures and safety protocols and equip themselves with the necessary gear. These safety measures are presented in the following film that is intended for both novice and experienced pilot boat drivers and pilots,...

The Dutch coaster Mv. Stroombank is leaving the port of Figueira da Foz in Portugal. Normally operations are restricted to daylight only, but because bad weather was forecasted for the days to come we've received an exemption and were allowed to depart during dark hours. Cargo operations were running close to the departure deadline so we quickly secured the cargo and prepared the vessel for sea. The tide was running out so we used the forward spring to keep position as we went slow astern...