VESSEL REVIEW | Avocette – Self-righting pilot boat to operate in France’s Seine Estuary

French boatbuilder Chantiers Navals Bernard recently handed over a new self-righting pilot boat to the Seine River Pilot Station.

Christened Avocette following the pilot station's tradition of naming its boats after birds, the new boat was built to a design by naval architect Pierre Delion. It will be operated mainly in the Seine Estuary between Rouen and Le Havre, though it may also augment pilot boats operating in Caen and Dieppe if needed. It replaces an older, smaller boat that had assisted ships in those same waters for 23 years.

Avocette has a length of 15.15 metres, a beam of five metres, a displacement of 22 tonnes, and two Volvo Penta D11-IPS inboard diesel engines that each produce 372 kW to deliver a top speed of 28 knots. Also fitted are a Furuno radar, fendering from Ocean 3, and two 1,200-litre fuel tanks.

The engines and the fuel tanks are positioned slightly forward of the stern to give the boat an improved trim, which then results in better handling. A Humphree stabilisation system meanwhile ensures smoother transits even at higher speeds.

The boarding ladders may be used for pilot transfers to larger vessels in wave heights of less than four metres, the maximum limit set by the pilot station for safe transfers. However, transfers can be performed along any point on the boat's deck due to the placement of the handrails further inboard and on the wheelhouse sides. This arrangement also allows for safe walking with minimal obstructions along the deck.

The wheelhouse features reverse-angled windscreens to reduce glare and upward-facing windows to improve visibility from the helm station, which in turn improves the coxswain's situational awareness when manoeuvring alongside larger ships.

Click here for more news, features, and vessel reviews as part of this month's focus on marine pilotage operations.