Macduff Ship Design has announced that Colombo Dockyard PLC has delivered two Pilot Launches to Sri Lanka Ports Authority

The vessels are of steel hull and Aluminium wheelhouse construction

The vessels are of steel hull and Aluminium wheelhouse construction

The two vessels are the first of a three vessel contract with the third vessel currently in build.

The Pilot Launches were of a revised repeat design supplied by Macduff Ship Design Ltd. The Launches will serve to transport pilots from shore to ship and can accommodate a total number of eight persons including four crew members and four pilots and have achieved a service speed of 22 knots on trials.

These Pilot Launches are designed to hold a high degree of stability and comfort in all weather conditions and provide a stable platform during embarking and disembarking pilots. The vessels are of steel hull and Aluminium wheelhouse construction. They are powered by a pair of Caterpillar C32 Main engines driving through ZF3050A units with 2.52:1 reduction ratio gearboxes to 1050mm diameter fixed pitch propellers supplied by Teignbridge Propellers.

Shipyard and designers are also able to confirm that they have entered into a contract with KOWA company Ltd of Japan to supply a further variant of this vessel.

By Jake Frith