Port Tampa Bay Florida Pilot Boat Wizzes On By.

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...

Safehaven Marine is a well-known boat builder based in Ireland that specializes in the design and construction of pilot boats. The company has built a reputation for producing top-quality vessels that are reliable, durable, and safe in all weather conditions. Safehaven Marine has delivered 60 pilot boats worldwide, and its latest launch, the VB Mouna, is the latest addition to its impressive resume.

Traffic has began to become congested and slowed due to specialized river pilots being mandated to quarantine due to Covid-19 regulations when returning from duties along China’s Yangtze which happens to be the longest river in East Asia.

The "Brazos Pilot" makes its debut
Brazos Pilot Association President Captain Billy Burns said a good pilot boat is essential to saving lives.
That is the expectation of their newest boat, the "Brazos Pilot": a vessel tailored to fit the job and provide their pilot association with performance dependability and the safety systems integration to fulfill their maritime mission.
Read more here,... http://markets.chroniclejournal.com/chroniclejournal/news/read/37679691

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.

Safehaven Marine has signed a contract with the Port Authority of Montrose on the east coast of Scotland for the delivery of a 15m pilot boat Interceptor 48, scheduled for delivery in August 2022.

Here’s a nice little video of the sea trials of ‘Svitzer Oued Martil’ including some cool on-board 360 camera footage of her going through some pretty big breaking seas during rough weather testing, and some nice foggy day drone footage and trials alongside the Brittany Ferry ‘Armorique’.