With the “Hamburg Pilot 3”, the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has taken delivery of the first of two new pilot transfer vessels.
It replaces the existing pilot transfer vessel “Lotse 3”. The boat was built at the Estonian shipyard Baltic Workboats.
After a construction phase of around one year, the boat was transferred to the Hamburg port area by sea. The new vessel will be put into service next April following completion of sea trials and crew training.
The pilot transfer vessel was purchased as part of a Europe-wide tender. The procurement process was carried out by the “New Construction and Innovation” department of Flotte Hamburg in close cooperation with the Hamburg Harbour Pilot Brotherhood, according to the HPA. The port last received a new police boat with a modern hybrid drive in December.
Pilot transfer vessel equipped for operation with e-fuels
“When selecting the new vessel, the focus was not only on its high performance but also on its technical equipment,” said Karsten Schönewald, Managing Director of Flotte Hamburg, during a demonstration of the boat, which was also attended by Senator for Economic Affairs Melanie Leonhard (SPD). “Equivalent to the existing newbuilds, we are also focusing on environmental protection with the ‘Hamburg Pilot 3’: the new pilot vessel has therefore been equipped with the latest exhaust gas aftertreatment technologies and is operated with synthetic GTL (gas-to-liquid) fuel.” In addition, the ship is designed in such a way that it can be refueled with climate-neutral e-fuels in the future. In this way, it will make an important contribution to the Hamburg fleet’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2040.
“The Hamburg Harbour Pilot Brotherhood is delighted to have started the modernization of pilot launches in Hamburg with the handover of the pilot boat. It is impressive to see how quiet and low-vibration the launch is and how well the boat sits in the water. New standards have been set here for the crews, pilots, the environment and safety in the port,” says Henrik Lüders, 1st Elder of the Hamburg Harbour Pilot Brotherhood.
Pilot transfer vessel “Hamburg Pilot 3” – Technical data
- Length overall: 17.93 m
- Width overall: 5.88 m
- Maximum draught: 1.50 m
- Speed: 20 knots
Special features
- Exhaust gas aftertreatment (catalytic converters and particle filter)
- Wave-piercing bow for a particularly smooth ride in rough seas
- Automatic trim system for greater comfort and reduced fuel consumption
