Puerto Rican pilot boat will meet challenging conditions

This delivery marks Safehaven Marine’s 41st pilot boat delivered to ports Worldwide. Harbor Thunder is a very striking design, powered by a pair of Cummins QSM11 engines at a heavy duty rating of 450hp, allowing the vessel an economical continuous operational speed of 22-23kts.

Harbor Thunder accommodates two crew and four pilots in her main cabin, all on shock mitigation seating and also incorporates a compact galley with fridge and sink. The vessel features a highly operator friendly central helm position with a full array of Garmin electronic navigation and radio communication equipment including Radar, GPS plotter, VHF, deck hailer, AIS and CCTV coverage of boarding areas.

The vessel’s design enables her to accommodate a further six persons on seating in her spacious forward cabin which also incorporates live aboard facilities for her crew featuring a separate heads compartment and dinette area.

MOB SYSTEM
Safehaven’s proven Man Overboard recovery system is fitted on the transom allowing a casualty to be easily recovered in a MOB situation and is the result of over 15 years experience in building pilot craft, experience that ensures all aspects of the crafts design and engineering is capable of withstanding one of the toughest marine roles allowing the port to ensure continuous, reliable pilotage capabilities. A new design pilot boarding ladder arrangement is fitted forward with a cross over walkway between port and starboard ladders allowing safe passage across the foredeck.

Fitted out to a very high standard especially for hot climates and incorporating a 27,000btu Dometic air-conditioning, unit she provides her crew and pilots a very safe and comfortable working environment. Safehaven’s proven ‘sacrificial’ fender system is incorporated allowing boarding impacts to be significantly cushioned and providing a high degree of protection to the hull especially in rough conditions.

CHALLENGING CONDITIONS
For 100 years the San Juan Bay Pilots have ensured the safe and efficient movement of all types of vessels that transit the San Juan Bay area, ensuring the flow of goods between San Juan and the world. San Juan Bay is an inlet adjacent to Old San Juan in northeastern Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island and unincorporated within U.S. territory. The bay is approximately 3.5miles in length, and is the largest body of water in an estuary of about 97 square miles of channels, inlets and eight interconnected lagoons and can be subject to shifting currents, tides, high winds and heavy rain, creating challenging conditions for pilotage.

Safehaven Marine currently has in construction and on order six pilot boats across five continents globally, a fine testimony to the excellent reputation the company has established for building high quality pilot craft with excellent performance and seakeeping abilities.

Visit Safehaven Marine at Seawork on stand PY35

Technical specification
LOA: 15m Beam: 4.4m Draft: 1.3m
Displacement: Lightship 17,200kg Loaded 19,500kg
Construction material: FRP
Engines: Cummins QSM11 450hp @ 2100rpm
Gearboxes: ZF 350
Propellers: 28″ 4 blade
Speed: Operational 22-23kts @ MCR
Range: 240nm Fuel: 1,900 litres Water: 170 litres
Electronics: Garmin
Air-conditioning: Dometic 27,000btu
Seating capacity: 2 Crew, 4 pilots + 6 passengers in f/wd cabin
Liferaft: RFD 12 persons
Classification: BV