£1.9 MILLION ORDER FOR THREE PILOT LAUNCHES ON UK’S BUSIEST COMMERCIAL WATERWAY
Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Humber Estuary Services (HES) is to undertake a £1.9 million investment project to upgrade its fleet of pilot launches. ABP has placed an order with ship builders VT Halmatic for three new ‘Nelson 48/50’-class pilot launches. Delivery of the vessels will be phased over three stages, with the first launch expected to come into service in December of this year and the last in summer of 2006.
The three launches will be capable of carrying eight pilots and a crew of two at speeds of up to 23 knots, and will replace the three oldest in ABP HES’ existing fleet of five pilot launches.
This significant investment demonstrates ABP’s commitment to the safety and efficiency of the pilotage operations on the Humber, the UK’s busiest commercial waterway, for which ABP is the Competent Harbour Authority. Captain Philip Cowing, ABP’s Harbour Master for the Humber, commented:
“On the Humber Estuary, we handle some 37,000 shipping movements annually, of which 20,000 require pilotage, and because of the growth in trade, this figure is increasing year-on-year.
“As the Competent Harbour Authority for this stretch of water, we have a statutory duty to provide a pilotage service, and this major investment in three new launches will ensure that we are able to offer the best possible services to vessels using the Humber.
“The Halmatic Nelson-class vessel is a proven design which has operated successfully on the Humber for many years, and forms the basis of our existing fleet. We are delighted to continue our successful relationship with VT Halmatic.”
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