Article

Port of Townsville expands pilot boat fleet with Hart Marine´s ORC 173


published on 7 December 2021 149 -

Port of Townsville latest Mantaray HM ORC 173, along with all Port of Townsville’s pilot boat fleet is defined by the Pantocarene designed beak bow vessels that are the forefront of pilot vessel desingn worldwide. The beak bow is designed to increase the waterline and reduce slamming and vertical accelerations, this along with the remotely mounted wheelhouse to reduce noise and vibration results in lower fatigue of pilots and vessel operators. Through 30+ years of design development Pantocarenes has been able to signifiantly reduce the drag of the hull form while maintaining best of breed qualities. The drag reduction therefore improves fuel efficiency and emissions. The HM ORC 173 hull is a refinement of 30 year’s knowledge of designing beaked bow vessels.
The client required a similar vessel to expand their fleet, fleet continuity was extremely important to the Port of Townsville. They wanted their users to be able to adapt to each vessel easily from a fleet management point of view. Port of Townsville required a 17.3 pilot vessel to expand their growing fleet and provide capability at remote parts operated by the Port of Townsville.

Port of Townsville required a vessel that could sustain longer runs, that could stay anchored in-between transfers, with option for pilots to rest on the day bed located within the wheelhouse, when not in use the day bed doubles as extra bench seating.
The chosen propulsion system was the VEEM Props 5 Blade with the standard high performing package
Yanmar 6HYM -WET engines with twin disc MGX 5126A 2.04:1 gearbox connected to Veem 5 blade propellers.
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Article Awarded large Pilot Boat Mira

published on 16 March 2021

After 25 years of continual and significant refinement, these Camarc pilot boats remain clear sector leaders. The hull shape is now quite different yet they retain their classic Camarc good looks.

0

Article Hamburg Pilot 3 – New all-weather pilot boat to serve Port of Hamburg

by Baird Maritime - published on 19 November 2025

Estonian boatbuilder Baltic Workboats has delivered a new pilot boat ordered by German vessel operator Flotte Hamburg, a subsidiary of the Hamburg Port Authority.

0

Video Crazy Pilot Boarding when the vessel is rolling heavy

published on 21 December 2019

What a dangerous situation. Never seen that before.

0

Video Great insight: Panama Canal Transit

published on 4 November 2021

From the author: "This is a special video about the transit through the infamous Panama canal. It took me quite some time to make this video. I tried to show as much as I could about the Panama canal and its pilotage waters."

0

Video Course Stability under wind - advice for various conditions

by Knud Benedict - published on 7 March 2022

Another video by Knud Benedict: This movie reveals some practical insight into regions of course stable / unstable conditions under wind. And I dare to say you can get some insight into other stability types and analogies, too!

0

Video CBNC: Egypt's Suez Canal could take weeks to clear

published on 25 March 2021

The massive container ship that ran aground in the Suez Canal, halting traffic in one of the world's busiest waterways, is still stuck. The ship, called the Ever Given, became horizontally wedged in the waterway following heavy winds. Nearly 19,000 ships passed through the canal during 2020, for an average of 51.5 per day, according to the Suez Canal Authority.

0

Article Pilots sound alarm on proposed federal right whale rules

by Clay Diamond - Executive Director - General Counsel at American Pilots’ Association - published on 1 August 2024

APA says: “Pilots share NOAA’s goal of protecting the North Atlantic right whale, but this is the wrong approach.”

0