Golden Gate will serve ships calling at the deep-water San Francisco Bay ports of Oakland, Redwood City, San Francisco, and Richmond.
The San Francisco Bar Pilots has deployed Golden Gate, a new 73-foot boat designed by UK-based Camarc Design and built by Snow and Company of Seattle, Wa.
With a refined Camarc aluminum mono hull, the Golden Gate features an extended waterline length that improves seakeeping and efficiency, reduces vertical acceleration and fuel consumption by 10 percent, and a curved forefoot that assists in boarding and breaking away and reduces water separation and spray.
The boat has a maximum speed of 30 knots and is equipped with a pair of MAN D2862 LE 438 Tier 4 engines, each rated at 1,200 horsepower at 2,100 rpm. The engines are fitted with a MAN SCR exhaust aftertreatment system, which can also be used in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter that can be installed later.
Twin Disc MGX 6599 SC gearboxes and Northern Lights M944T3F 38kW generators provide power for the boat’s electrical system, while propulsion is provided via two “new generation” Hamilton HTX52 waterjets that provide as much as seven percent more thrust than previous models at high speeds and also produce improved cavitation resistance, enhanced corrosion resistance and anode layout, and a compact inboard footprint for smaller engine rooms.
Radars are manufactured by Furuno with fendering from Fender Innovations installed around the hull to provide impact protection. The Golden Gate is also fitted with a Humphree ride control system and a MOB recovery system.
“Our vessels are a critical piece of the organization, moving the bar pilots through the San Francisco Bay and beyond to keep California’s economy going,” said Capt. John Carlier, president of the San Francisco Bar Pilots.
“The new Golden Gate’s cutting-edge engine and technology will allow us to transfer to and from ships safely and efficiently with added maneuverability and speed, meaning safer trips and faster service for the ships calling into the pilotage ground,” he said, adding that the boat replaces a vessel with the same name that has reached the end of its operational lifespan.
Financing for construction of Golden Gate was provided through 2022 California state legislation that set aside funding to provide the bar pilots “with the ability to respond to an accelerated fleet replacement schedule brought about by new California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission regulation.”
“The pandemic and related supply chain issues over the last few years shined a light on the necessity to address outdated funding mechanisms and ensure that the bar pilots continue their essential work to push the local, regional, and state economy forward, while also reducing our carbon footprint,” said San Francisco Bar Pilots Business Director, Capt. Anne McIntyre. “We are grateful to the many partners who were instrumental in the process of bringing the new pilot vessel Golden Gate to reality.”
“The delivery of the new pilot vessel Golden Gate is an embodiment of the dedication of the maritime industry to reducing emissions at our seaports and our commitment to make new investments to support the future of California’s waterfront,” said Mike Jacob, vice president and general counsel of the Pacific Maritime Shipping Association, which represents the ocean carriers and ocean-going vessels calling on ports in the San Francisco Bay.
“The modernized and upgraded Golden Gate will not only provide pilotage service to the vessels calling on ports, but it will meet and exceed California’s strict new emissions standards for harbor craft, which are some of the strictest in the world.”