Article

TRENT joins ABP Humber's fleet of pilot vessels


by ABP - Humber Estuary Services - published on 18 December 2023 2061 -

Photo by ABP - Humber: The TRENT, ABP Humber’s newest pilot vessel with Marine Services Manager, Tony Lewis, Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP, and Head of Marine Humber, Paul Bristowe.


New pilot vessel, the TRENT, has joined ABP Humber’s fleet at the port of Grimsby.

An investment of £1.2 million, the TRENT is the second in class, Orc design 171, to be delivered to the Humber as part of ABP’s pilot boat replacement programme.

ABP first commissioned Norfolk-based boat builder Goodchild Marine Services in 2020 to supply nine state-of the-art pilot boats over a five year period. ABP’s total investment of £9 million is delivering five vessels to serve its Humber ports, three for Southampton and one for Barry in South Wales.

This class of vessel is at the forefront of technology and handling performance. Named by many pilot boat operators throughout the world as the ‘Pilot Boat of Choice’.

Its unique hull design wave piercing ‘beak’ bow is a distinctive feature of the vessel, reducing slamming, vertical acceleration, and reduces fatigue of pilots and crew. Simultaneously this feature of the boat, improves on efficiency by reducing drag, which in turn, reduces fuel consumption and the vessel’s carbon footprint.

Simon Bird, ABP Humber Regional Director, said: “These innovative pilot vessels, designed by Frech naval architect Pantocarene, will be ensuring ABP can deliver its exemplary pilotage service here on the Humber.

In 2021 alone there were in excess of 34,000 ship movements on the estuary, overseen by ABP’s Vessel Tracking Service. 15,000 of these movements were acts of pilotage carried out by ABP’s Humber Pilots.

Over the coming weeks the TRENT will be put through its paces by our pilot launch crews as they familiarise themselves with the new vessel.”

Stephen Pierce General Manager Goodchild Marine Services Limited, said: “Our aim is to deliver the highest quality pilot boats, which provide a safe, comfortable, reliable and efficient vessel. Thus, ensuring the best possible working space for the boat crews, pilots and the maintainers.”

Invited guests, including the TRENT’s sponsor Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull North, gathered for the vessel’s naming ceremony at the Port of Hull.

Dame Diana Johnson MP, said: “It is a great pleasure to have been asked to be the official sponsor of this impressive looking vessel. I know that over the course of her lifetime as a working pilot launch, she will be providing a vital function in taking pilots out to large ships beyond Spurn Point, so that they can be brought safely into our ports and bring in the goods and supplies that we all need. She will therefore be an essential component part in the role that ABP plays here in the Humber, of keeping Britain trading.”
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Article Operational notes & recommendations on Portable Pilot Units (PPU)

by United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association - published on 2 December 2021

OPERATIONAL NOTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by UKMPA, February 2017
The introduction of modern lightweight Portable Pilot Units (PPU) for use during pilotage has proved to be another major advance for pilotage operations worldwide.

1

Article IcePad, Smart download and view satellite images of sea-ice

by Drift + Noise GmbH - published on 26 July 2019

Download and view satellite images of sea-ice on your mobile device or PC within an intuitive map-based interface.

0

Article German pilots establish the "Pilot Information Assistant - PIA" project

by Ship&Offshore DVV Media Group - published on 5 September 2019

The PIA project of German pilots is a great maritime success story and ensures greater safety and efficiency on German shipping routes. Thus, with no exceptions, all of the approx. 890 German maritime and port traffic controllers could be gathered for use of the PIA system and its PPU.

0

Video La Coruna pilot boat Offshore in Gale & Ship boarding trials

published on 29 September 2020

Here’s a pretty cool video covering the recent sea trials we undertook with the La Coruna pilot boat. Some nice gale footage 20 miles offshore, and the fun we had trying to land the drone back down in high winds as well as alongside ship handling trials with the Taccola, operating out of Cork Harbour at present.

0

Video Unveil the Pilotboat "Columbia

published on 7 February 2021

Opening the building to unveil the Pilotboat "Columbia". Preparing for launchday.

0

Video Pilot Boat 68 Dardanelles

published on 7 October 2022

Pilot Boat 68 heads out in choppy seas in the Dardanelles

1

Video Norwegian SR Seatrial

published on 22 April 2021

The crew from Rescue RS 172 in Norway at sea trial with Humphree interceptors in "Active" mode. Storm outside Hvaler, Norway.
”Our job is to be there for people at sea in any condition. No system can eliminate motions from a roaring North Sea, what Humphree does is to give us the best possible control of our workboats, a system that makes a real difference to get the job done.”
Knut Hveding, Manager New Builds
Norwegian Search and Rescue team

0

Article Can you trust your GNSS data?

published on 23 November 2022

This important topic is still underestimated in shipping! Can you trust your GPS? Your Galileo? Knowing where the ship is and where to sail next is the main task of navigating a ship and is commonly supported by using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). But what happens if the GNSS gets intentionally disturbed?

2

Opinion Harbor Pilots, the Boeing 737 MAX and Automation

by Capt. Jim Wright , Southwest Alaska Pilots Association (retired) - published on 5 March 2020

The debate is whether highly skilled pilots could have successfully overcome the recent Boeing 737 MAX computer deficiencies. Will this question eventually be relevant to harbor pilot skills?

0