‘Baia de Setubal’

At 11.7m LOA it is economical to operate, yet capable of dealing with rough Atlantic conditions, with the Port of Setubal being exposed to the Bay of Biscay they often experience large seas during the winter months and so require their pilot vessel to possess good seakeeping abilities, and with seven pilot vessels so far delivered to Portuguese territories, Safehaven’s reputation made them the first choice.

Baia de Setubal is powered by Volvo D9 425hp engines and ZF V drive gearboxes through conventional sterngear providing her with a 24kt operational speed, she has a capacity for five pilots and crew in her main cabin, all on CAB suspension seating with her helm position being centrally positioned to allow excellent control and visibility to the coxswain during both port and starboard boardings.

The Interceptor design features a central cabin configuration allowing a useful aft deck area and a clear wide pilot boarding area forward. Below decks the design also features a spacious forward cabin which can accommodate an additional four passengers when required. The hull is heavily fendered all round with a combination of main gunwale, diagonals and a lower run as well as also employing Safehaven’s own special sacrificial boarding fender providing additional protection at the shoulders.

High and low level pilot boarding railings as well as a Hadrian safety rail ensure safety on deck. MOB recovery is via a combination of swing out davit on the superstructure amidships and a Jason’s Cradle recovery system deployed over the side.

Fitted with a full array of navigation equipment based around Raymarine’s HD C127 series displays with Radar, GPS plotter and sounder, Comer AIS, Furuno Deck communication and Sailor VHF radios, the main cabin is fitted out to a high standard to ensure a comfortable environment for her crew and pilots during transits. The vessel was built under hull survey with BV and certified through the Portuguese maritime authorities and entered service in September at Setubal.

By Jake Frith