Pilot Boat Alongside Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship

The Port of Townsville, northern Australia’s largest multi-cargo port, is expanding its fleet of pilot boats to four.

The Port has awarded Hart Marine a $3 million contract to build a 17.3m ORC vessel that is due for delivery later in 2020. The new high-tech vessel will be slightly longer but have the same design features as the PV Osprey which was delivered by Hart Marine in late 2017.

A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting.

The new 56-ft. Virginia Pilots launch is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D13 700 hp EPA Tier 3 engines matched with IPS-3 steerable pod drives with forward-facing counter-rotating props. The propulsion system includes Volvo Penta’s EVC electronic steering and control system with a three-axis joystick. Top speed is 33+ knots.

Introducing the new Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS) professional platform – the next evolution in our fully integrated helm-to-propeller experience. Targeted for 2025, this groundbreaking innovation offers unparalleled comfort, performance, and sustainability for a new class of marine vessels.

In December 2020, Australian Pilot Captain Ritesh Bhamaria was expertly piloting oil tanker MT Godam through the Torres Strait in adverse weather conditions when he and the vessel crew sighted a distant hand waving for help in the rough sea.

Pilot jumping onboard the Carnival Luminosa at Cairns from the pilot boat .

As the world struggles with the Covid-19 virus, the maritime world is being hit hard, not only economically, but also socially and operationally. Iin shipping there are no borders.

Every ship transporting goods to, from or through the Arctic wants to find the fastest and safest way through or around the ice. Even service ice breakers save considerable amounts of time and fuel when they choose an easy path through the ice opposed to a straight path.