Pilot Boat 18 to Denmark

Published: 17 May 2004

Docksta, Sweden 17 May 2004: Dockstavarvet has delivered yet another 14 metre pilot boat to the Danish Pilotage Authority – the Lodsreguleringsfonden/ -Farvandsvesendet. The new vessel, named NEPTUN, was taken over at the Nordhavn A/S facilities, in the port of Aarhus on May 17 2004. NEPTUN will be stationed at Danpilot in Grenaa.

NEPTUN will work as pilot boat one at Grenaa and PLUTO, another pilot boat delivered from Dockstavarvet in 1995, will work as no two and will at the same time substitute an old Nelsonboat, taken out of service.

NEPTUN, the 18th Pilot Boat from Dockstavarvet to Denmark since 1992, is the 12th of the 14 m pilot boat type. It measures 13.9 x 4.6m with a hull in aluminium and a resiliently mounted GRP sandwich deckhouse. The deckhouse includes a raised wheelhouse and a semi sunk saloon with toilet and pantry. The salon is fitted with a pullman sofa and a dinette seating 4 persons. Displacement is 22 tons and two Scania engines, type DSI 14 on 400 kW each, give a sprint speed of 24 knots. Furuno has delivered the navigational equipment including their new black-box radar and a 15 inch flat-screen, GPS compass, autopilot and the MaxSea chart system.

In addition to the normal security equipment, the AP14700 is fitted with a man overboard direction finder, a rescue crane and a separate manoeuvring station on the aft deck, to facilitate fast and safe salvage of a person from the water even under severe conditions.

In connection with this delivery, the Danish Pilotage Authority placed an option for further four pilot boats of the same type, the AP14700. Delivery will take place during 2005-2006. The coming vessels will be equipped with the new Scania 16 litre engine DI16M with a Twin Disc-gearbox and Quick Shift-function and electronic controls.