Article

Associated British Ports (ABP) has welcomed the first of nine new pilot launch vessels from Goodchild Marine Services.

published on 22 July 2021 - 167 -

Show comment section |

Earlier this year ABP announced an investment of around £9 million to build nine new pilot boats. These vessels were ordered from Goodchild Marine Services Limited and are being built in Norfolk along with much of the supply chain coming from East Anglian suppliers.

The first pilot boat received a warm welcome on its arrival at the Port of Grimsby. Named the OUSE and is the first of five which will be delivered to ABP Humber. Three vessels will be heading to ABP Southampton in 2022 and one to ABP South Wales in 2023.

All nine vessels boast improved fuel efficiency, along with Ouse being the first pilot boat built and enter service in the UK to be fitted with an IMO Tier III compliant engine complete with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). These MAN engines supplied by PME Group of Plymouth help to reduce emissions by using of the latest technology thus minimising the impact on the environment.

Many other features help improve the comfort and safety of those onboard. The Man Overboard Recovery Platform is a standard fit on all Goodchild Marine pilot vessels, air conditioning, suspension seating and a resiliently mounted wheelhouse all act to reduce vibration, impact, and noise when at sea. Additionally, the wave piercing hull design, adds to what makes these ORC pilot boats so comfortable, fuel efficient and above all highly effective in coming alongside and breaking away from ships for a safe pilot transfer.

Mike McCartain, ABP’s Group Director for Safety, Engineering and Marine said;

“We are delighted with our new ‘Orc’ Pilot Boat vessel from Goodchild Marine. The outstanding build quality, safety and environmental features are the hallmark of this superb British boat building company. This vessel is the second in our modernised ABP fleet, and we very much look forward to our next eight boats over the next few years.’

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. This ensures the best possible working space for the boat crews, pilots and the maintainers.”

Goodchild Marine Services Ltd

Pilot Boats

What's your opinion on this?

Video Pilot boat returning to Brixham

published on 23 June 2026

Short video from Brixham (UK)

Article U.S. largest pilot boat delivered to Texas. Stabilized by Humphree.

published on 19 March 2021

Breaux’s Bay Craft, Loreauville, La., delivered the new 90’x23’x12’4″ aluminum pilot boat Spindletop to the Sabine Pilots on March 6. The Sabine Pilots, Port Arthur, Texas, serve the Texas ports of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. “This is the biggest pilot boat built in the U.S.,” said Roy Breaux, the shipyard’s owner. “There are bigger ones in other parts of the world, but this is the largest in the U.S.”

Article Baltic Workboats' PILOT 15 WP has won a Small Pilot Boat Award for 2019

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 29 January 2020

Baltic Workboats have won under the category of "Best Small Pilot Boat" the Best builder of a Small Pilot Boat Award for 2019 for their model PILOT 15 WP.

Article St Johns Bar Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn

published on 1 March 2023

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has taken an order from the St. Johns Bar Pilots for a high-speed launch, based on the successful 40’ Resilient Class pilot boat introduced in 2005. Delivery to the Florida-based pilots is scheduled for mid-2024.

Video Pilot Boat Orion

published on 27 November 2020

Watch Orion, one of the two new boats of Jacobsen Pilot Service in Long Beach, Calif. in action. Designed by Tim Nolan Marine Design of Port Townsend, Wash., these boats with waterjet propulsion were built from composite materials at Nordlund Boat Company in Tacoma, Wash. Video courtesy of John Harris.

Article NTSB Report: Contact of Tanker Riverside with Moda Ingleside Energy Center No. 4 Loading Dock

published on 30 March 2022

On March 15, 2021, about 1302 local time, the oil tanker Riverside with a crew of 21 and 2 pilots was transiting outbound from the port of Corpus Christi, near Ingleside, Texas, in a loaded condition when the vessel lost propulsion and struck the no. 4 loading dock at the Moda Ingleside Energy Center. 1 No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $550,000. The estimated property damage to the facility was $7 million.

Video Bulker Energy cosmos in Rouen - France

published on 20 December 2021

Bulker Energy cosmos ( 229/32 m ) swinging and berthing in Rouen ( Normandy - France ) to Soufflet Silo

Article 3DPortGuard Docking Aid

published on 24 August 2021

Australian technology provider Frontier Automation has released a new vessel tracking system that can be used as a docking aid tool by pilots. As for all Frontier Automation control systems, it uses 3D machine vision to automatically detect and track in real time shipping vessels within range of a berth by providing information on critical distances to mooring infrastructure, on vessel speed and angle, and on vessel movement directions and orientations.