Pilot Boat Huron Spirit Coming Down From Lake Huron

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...

After 30+ years of service, the vessel needed to be re-powered. A $1.7 million re-powering project was initiated and completed during 2004.

HDV video from a go pro on the mast of an Interceptor 48 Pilot boat at sea during hurricane force winds off Cork, Ireland in February 2014, as well as a few other HD go pro clips. Video by boat builders Safehaven Marine. www.safehavenmarine.com

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.

We get to take the rough with the smooth on sea trials, 'Murshid'- Interceptor Pilot 60, lovely looking pilot boat.

The "MTM Potomac" is a 180 meter tanker, without a thruster and a fixed pitch, right handed propeller (like most).
This particular maneuver consisted of backing her about a ship´s length, then swinging to port with the help of 2 ASD tugs.

Pilot transferring is unsafe and dangerous by Harbor Tug Boat from or to the ship. I analyzed and observed at many ports, Pilots using Harbor Tug Boat for transferring. Where Tug boats decks are not specially designed for the Pilot transferring. This is difficult for the Pilot during Embarkation and specially Disembarkation. Video courtesy Nasir Khan. Find Capt. Pilot Nasir Khan on Marine-Pilots.com: https://www.marine-pilots.com/members/112390