Port of Waterford new pilot launch vessel "Port Láirge", handed over at Dunmore East November 2021

Whilst filming for the Voyager T2000 I was asked by Frank from Safehaven Marine if I wanted to make a video about the brand new Pilot Interceptor 60. There was no way that I was going to miss this opportunity!
Sign up for my free newsletter: https://bit.ly/Yacht_Buoy_Newsletter
Voyager T2000 Yacht Tour: https://youtu.be/Z8m7mWNWGAs
Voyager T2000 sea trial: https://youtu.be/ihgjtrgV0O4

The Port of Waterford is to invest almost €1m in a new pilot boat to be named Port Láirge, which as Irish for Waterford is a name long associated with a steam-powered dredger that served Waterford for more than 70 years until the 1980s.

Vessel Review by BairdMaritime.com. The Pilot boat was build by Safehaven Marine.

CMA CGM Columbia container ship arriving from Shekou port, and transiting thru Hong Kong, destination Singapore
a rare capture of TWO harbour pilots boats to carry two pilots leaving off the container ship
Columbia is only a 300m long 48m wide vessel, only 9200 TEU capacity but it has separate bridge tower and chimney. The ship was built in 2015.

Associated British Ports (ABP) will upgrade its recently acquired pilot launches to enhance safety, effectiveness, and sustainability, incorporating feedback from its pilots and marine teams. The program will expand the fleet of larger vessels from three to five, replace older models, and improve seakeeping, crew safety, comfort, handling, fuel efficiency, and emissions reduction.

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.

Although it cannot be said that ship piloting is the world’s oldest profession, most maritime experts do agree that pilotage does date back to antiquity.

In this Time-lapse and Bodycam clip, the ULCS EVER GOVERN is underway to sea. There I am met by the Pilot Station Vessel PROCYON and transferred to the inbound MT STEN FJELL underway to Europoort again.

The maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #8-Rotterdam-RWG: The birds-eye view of the largest mega containership in the world on 3 June 2020. Look at the port-side aspect moored starboard-side in Rotterdam.