Belfast Harbour adds new Pilot Boat to Marine Fleet

This is the Ben Madigan pilot boat, one of the hard working fleet of Belfast Harbout pilot boats. ( I'm not sure but I believe this might be a Redbay Stormforce, built by Redbay boat builders at Cushendll. )
These fast, sturdy, boats have to ferry Belfast pilots out to large vessels coming in to Belfast harbour. Piloted vessels range from large tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, ferries and cruise liners, right down to barges and fishing boats. Not only this, Belfast Harbour pilots...

What a great pleasure to meet these guys at the harbour - they could not have been more helpful and forthright about their work. At first glance, the glide of these orange powerboats up and down Belfast Lough seems an almost effortless task, but close up this is a very skilled trade and constant management of risk 24/7 in high and low seas, jumping from ship to boat to land taking safe control of the great volume of steel vessel coming in and out of this busy port. Though a hub of...

This is one common method to board the pilot. And here it is a special boat which is very fast with new technology

Found on YouTube. Created by "FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA PILOTI DEI PORTI".

The Supmar series of Camarc pilot boats building in Brazil. The expanding range now includes models at 12m, 13.5m and 16m with further size options in the pipeline.

The Virginia Pilot Association has ordered a high-speed, harbor pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. It’s the pilots’ tenth launch built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard. Delivery is scheduled for mid-2023.

Pilot boat at Velsen-Noord crew prepares to join cruise ship Norwegian Prima.

THE PILOT BOAT is coming back in.
ENJOY.

Pilot vessel Tribulation shadowing Ramble on Rose out of Cairns .5/10/20