Dublin Port Company has announced that the leading UK boat builder Goodchild Marine Services Limited has secured the contract to construct a new Pilot Boat for Dublin Port. The deal will see a new 17.1 metre ORC vessel delivered to Dublin Port in July 2019, the first Pilot Boat for export by Norfolk-based Goodchild Marine Services Limited.
The new addition to Dublin Port’s fleet will play a vital role in meeting the operational needs of Ireland’s largest and busiest port as it continues to experience growing trade volumes. Trade figures for the first half of 2018 show growth of 5.2% with increases in both imports and exports. There are strong signals that volumes for the full year will pass the one million units mark for the first time. By the end of 2018, Dublin Port expects to have seen growth of 37% in just six years.
With shipping companies increasingly deploying longer, deeper ships capable of carrying more cargo, the new Pilot Boat will allow Dublin Port’s team of highly skilled marine pilots to reach and board these bigger capacity ships in all weather conditions from a greater distance out into Dublin Bay.
"an innovative beak bow design which can steady the hull as it pitches into the sea"
Designed by naval architects Pantocarene and adapted by Goodchild Marine Services Limited for the local market, the boat is renowned for its fuel efficiency, capacity to cut emissions and ability to handle high speeds in bad weather owing to an innovative beak bow design which can steady the hull of the boat as it pitches into the sea.
A separate, flexibly mounted wheelhouse helps mitigate noise and vibration, making the experience for pilots and crew more comfortable, whilst the hull form significantly reduces fuel consumption due to minimal drag. These environmental and design features are in line with Dublin Port’s commitment under the Masterplan 2040, reviewed 2018, to focus on environmental performance improvements in order to reduce the carbon footprint of vessels in port
Eamonn O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Dublin Port Company, said: “The new pilot boat is the latest investment by DPC as we prepare Dublin Port for future growth. Investment in infrastructure is not simply confined to new quay walls and other engineering works, but also extends to the marine fleet that keeps Dublin Port operational 24/7. Our pilots increasingly need to embark and disembark from much larger capacity ships, and the addition of the new pilot boat will allow our team of experts to do so safely, even at greater distances from port.”
"This is the first time our ORC 171 has been exported"
Steve Pierce, General Manager at Goodchild Marine Services Limited, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Dublin Port on this project. Customers who have been using the ORC range of pilot boats for up to 6 years are reporting fuel savings of around 40% year on year. We have made it our objective to produce boats that have both environmental and financial benefits to ports. Based on customers’ real operational data our ORC pilot boats are the perfect demonstration of this.”
“This is the first time our ORC 171 has been exported, so it represents a very exciting time for Goodchild Marine Services Limited.”
More on the ORC 171 Fast Pilot Craft here