Pilot Boat Docking Lake Erie

When you think about SWATH ships, remember seakeeping. Imagine gliding gently over waves. That serenity is what SWATH ships deliver. It comes at the price of several new design challenges. But for the right mission, a SWATH is worth it. Maybe the tradeoffs are right for you? Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a SWATH. REFERENCES [1] Mecaflux, "Midship, Frontal Surface Area and Flotation," Mecaflux, [Online]. Available: https://www.mecaflux.com/en/Maitre_couple.htm. [Accessed...

Caught at Cuxhaven, Germany

Here’s a cool little video of the rough weather sea trails of ‘Port Láirge’ The Port of Waterford’s new Interceptor 48 pilot boat ready to be delivered next week. We had two days of rough weather, a Force 8 with 3.5m seas putting up some surf breakers over the Daunt and a second day with winds reaching Force 10 offshore, with 55kts of wind and 5m swells, allowing us to properly test her capabilities ensuring she's fully fit for purpose for the pilots and crew. Doing so we captured some...

The Brightlingsea Harbour Commission of Essex, UK, recently took delivery of a new pilot boat built by Seaward Boat Development Company based on the Isle of Wight.

On December 1st 2019 Dublin Port received a delivery of a new Pilot Boat - DPC Tolka.
This 1,195 horsepower 17.1m Orc vessel with a 5.3m Beam & Range 150 can reach greater distances and will allow Dublin Port’s highly skilled marine pilots to board larger ships in all weathers.
DPC Tolka has allowed Dublin Port to upgrade equipment in line with customer investment in new ships and additional capacity on existing routes.
Designed by French Naval Architect Pantocarene for both fuel...

The latest MS Amlin Marine circular, compiled by theTechnical Loss Prevention Consultant Peter van der Kroft, focuses on the importance of pilot safety in marine navigation.

Editor's note: The pilot boarding seems a bit improvised and unsafe to me, but that's certainly business as usual, isn't it?

When I was a deck officer back in the early nineties I worked on a ship that used to load grain at different ports along the Mississippi river. The name of the ship was Golden Hope, a 600 feet long dry bulk carrier with a 95 feet in beam. An average size vessel for those days' standards.

When falling from the ladder onto the deck of the Pilot Boat, the well-known Indian pilot obviously suffered some injuries.

Maritime pilots work in an irregular deployment system (rotation system) with unpredictable work assignments under high levels of physical and mental stress. Fatigue or chronic diseases, e.g. coronary heart disease, peptic ulcers or gastritis can occur as a consequence.