The delivery to the Port of Algeciras, which received a total of 22,570 visiting ships last year, culminates a sequence of Spanish success for VT Halmatic, with pilot boats also going to the Ports of Seville, La Coruna, Santander, Gijon and Cartagena.

Closer to VT Halmatic's Portchester UK home, Humber Venus, the newest addition to Associated British Ports'Humber Estuary Services (HES) fleet of pilot launches, was named in a ceremony in the Port of Hull's King George Dock. ABP is investing £1.9m in three new VT Halmatic built Nelson 48/50 vessels to upgrade its fleet.

Humber Venus is the second of the three to be delivered to replace the oldest of ABP HES' fleet of five pilot launches. The first, Humber Neptune, entered service in January and the third, Humber Saturn, is being delivered this summer. Like its sister vessels, Humber Venus will carry eight pilots and two crew at speeds of up to 23 knots.

Speaking at the Humber Venus ceremony, ABP's Harbour Master for the Humber, Captain Phil Cowing said, 'This is an exciting day for us. As the Competent Harbour Authority for the Humber Estuary, we handle some 37,000 shipping movements annually, of which nearly 21,000 require pilotage and because of growth in trade, this figure is increasing year on year. Delivery of this new vessel, and of the last one of three over the coming months, will ensure that we are able to offer the best possible service 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.'

Information No: 22127