PNG Ports Corporation christians Siabo Pilot Boat

The desire to improve efficiency and crew comfort has resulted in a new approach to hull design. Built from the ground up this new Pilot Boat design utilises an Extra Long Waterline (XLW) to maximise the waterline length.

Queensland and one of Australia’s longest serving custom commercial and recreational boat builders, Norman R. Wright & Sons, has secured the contract to build 2 new custom designed 14.8 metre Pilot Boats for PNG Ports Corporation from Papua New Guinea.

The pilot boat will be christened Paga after the Paga Hill which overlooks the Fairfax Harbour where PNG Ports operates from in Port Moresby.

This is the new Bermuda pilot/SAR boat 'St. David'. Its intended to operate up to 30miles off the island in the open north Atlantic but capable of going much further. She is a Gladding Hearn built, all weather 61' aluminum hull capable of about 30kts. She replaces a 23 year old pilot boat with the same name.

A quick look Pilot launch Nepean running through the rip seen off Point Lonsdale, Victoria, Australia.
Ship spotting at Point Lonsdale and other water activities by Wally on Water.

The new 56-ft. Virginia Pilots launch is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D13 700 hp EPA Tier 3 engines matched with IPS-3 steerable pod drives with forward-facing counter-rotating props. The propulsion system includes Volvo Penta’s EVC electronic steering and control system with a three-axis joystick. Top speed is 33+ knots.

Pilot Boat 68 heads out in choppy seas in the Dardanelles

Waiting on the porch of boat pilot cabin. Putting on life vest and embarking on boat pilot speedboat. Navigating on St Lawrence River towards cargo ship Federal Kumano. Embarking on cargo ship. Talking stairs up tp navigation bridge. Meeting crew.Taking over controls of Federal Kumano.

The Louisiade People's Foundation (LPF) has raised serious concern that a Pilotage Service Expression of Interest advertisement has been done without much consultation with the people of the Jomard Passage.