Pilots – Professional Mariner

06 Jan

Gladding-Hearn delivers second Baltimore-class launch

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — The Association of Maryland Pilots has received a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. The high-speed vessel, Federal Hill, is a sister ship to the operator's first Baltimore-class launch, delivered by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard four years ago. With a length overall of 48.5 feet, beam of 15.6 feet, and draft of 4 feet, the…

24 Sep

Remote pilotage not ready for prime time, report says

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, technology

(LONDON) — The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA), in collaboration with the Canadian National Center of Expertise on Maritime Pilotage (NCEMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard, has released a report on the technical readiness of remote pilotage solutions. This first report from the International Study on Remote Pilotage found that proposed solutions offered a glimpse of what is possible. However,…

17 Jul

Delta pilots tap Gladding’s Venice class for two newbuilds

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — Delta Launch Services, a launch company operating on the Mississippi River, has ordered two of a new class of pilot boats from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. The Venice class launches follow a long history of six larger pilot boats built for the Delta Launch Services by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard. Delivery is scheduled for 2027. The custom…

30 Jun

SOLAS amended to improve pilot transfer safety

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, safety

(LONDON) — Maritime pilots around the world make a critical contribution to the safety of navigation, the prevention of waterborne pollution and the efficiency of maritime trade. Delivering this public benefit is now made safer by the adoption of amendments to SOLAS and a new mandatory performance standard for pilot transfer arrangements. “Maritime pilots deliver an extremely effective public service,"…

13 May

Gladding-Hearn repowers launch for Charleston pilots

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding has delivered a repowered pilot boat, Fort Ripley, after 10 years of continuous service in the Port of Charleston. The all-aluminum vessel, operated by the Charleston Branch Pilots, was also outfitted with a Seakeeper 40 gyro stabilizer. The 65-foot Fort Ripley was designed by Ray Hunt Design and Gladding-Hearn and built by the Somerset, Mass.,…

25 Apr

Legislators honor San Francisco Bar Pilots on 175th anniversary

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry NewsPilots, shipping

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — On Tuesday, the San Francisco Bar Pilots was presented with a resolution from the California Legislature commemorating the organization's 175th anniversary. On April 22, 1850, during the first legislative session of the new state of California, elected officials enacted laws to create the first state-licensed bar pilots. Since then, the bar pilots have continuously served California and…

31 Mar

Gladding-Hearn delivers 10th launch to Virginia pilots

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass. ) — The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a new high-speed pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. It’s the Virginia pilots’ 10th launch built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1983. The all-aluminum launch, Old Dominion, is designed and outfitted for the pilots' Hampton Roads harbor station. An all-new, shallow-V hull by Ray Hunt Design…

20 Feb

Groundbreaking Gladding-Hearn launch set for refit

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — The Charleston Branch Pilots have returned the pilot boat Fort Ripley to Gladding-Hearn after 10 years of continuous service for the Port of Charleston, S.C. The all-aluminum vessel will be repowered and refitted with a new Seakeeper 40 gyro stabilizer. The 65-foot vessel was designed by Ray Hunt Design and Gladding-Hearn and built by the Somerset, Mass.,…

28 Jan

Gladding-Hearn delivers 11th launch to Delaware pilots

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — The Pilots’ Association of the Bay and River Delaware has taken delivery of another pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. It’s the association’s fourth Chesapeake-class launch and 11th pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1957. With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum launch Pennsylvania measures 53.6 feet overall,…

30 Dec

Safety alert: Identifying counterfeit pilot ladders

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, Safety alert, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — Marine inspectors from Sector Maryland-National Capital Region (NCR) discovered counterfeit pilot ladders during a port state control examination at the Port of Baltimore. The identification plate on the ladder (Figure 1) contained several errors, including referencing ISO 779-1 instead of the correct standard, ISO 799-1, and lacked the ISO 799-1 designation type. Additionally, while the serial number on…