Finnpilot Pilotage, a Finnish state-owned marine pilotage services provider, will take delivery of a new vessel early next year.
Designed and built by local company Marine Alutech, the all-aluminium pilot boat L248 will possess self-righting ability as well as the ability to sail in surface ice of up to five centimetres thick. It can also be operated in deeper offshore waters to accommodate transfers of pilots to deeper-draught ships.
The new pilot boat has a displacement of 20 tonnes, an LOA of 16.3 metres, a beam of 5.1 metres, and a draught of only 1.6 metres, making it suitable for operating even in more restrictive inner harbour waters. The bow has D-type rubber fendering while the hull sides are equipped with truck tyres for added safety when manoeuvring alongside larger ships for pilot transfers.
The wheelhouse is fitted with a set of nine tempered glass windows with heating and sunshades, guaranteeing improved visibility for the crew under different weather and external light conditions. The interior seats for the two crewmembers and the four pilots/passengers are all Grammer units with four-point safety harnesses as well as footrests.
Power is provided by one Scania DI13 079M main engine that produces 552 kW and complies with IMO Tier II emissions standards. The engine drives a Steerprop propeller via a Twin Disc MGX-6599A gearbox to deliver a maximum speed of over 21 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots. A hydraulically boosted steering system ensures quieter operation as well as quicker responses to helm input.
The engine room is fitted with Frenchlight interference-protected LED lighting.
The boat relies on a pair of 220Ah batteries to supply electrical power for the vast array of navigation and communication electronics. A complete Furuno package consists of a DRS12A-NXT radar, two FM-8900S handheld radios, a Navpilot 711C autopilot, a GPS, an FA-170 class A AIS transponder, an SC-70 satellite compass, a BR-500 BNWAS, and an LH-5000 loudhailer. The other electronics include a MaxSea plotter, two McMurdo portable VHF radios, EPIRB, and SART. Also fitted are five wide-angle, night vision cameras and a separate video switch with split-screen function and a selector switch next to the coxswain.
Mounted on the wheelhouse roof is a Seematz searchlight while the bow also has forward headlights to aid in sailing under low-visibility conditions. The wheelhouse itself also has emergency lighting independent of the boat's main electrical power supply, and this lighting is designed to continue functioning even after the boat becomes submerged, such as following a capsize.
When evacuation of the boat becomes necessary, the occupants have access to a SOLAS B-certified liferaft with hydrostatic release. The release function can be operated remotely from inside the wheelhouse for fast deployment.
| L248 | |
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Pilot boat |
| Flag: | Finland |
| Owner: | Finnpilot Pilotage, Finland |
| Operator: | Finnpilot Pilotage, Finland |
| Designer: | Marine Alutech, Finland |
| CAD software: | Multisurf; Maxsurf; Solidworks |
| Builder: | Marine Alutech, Finland |
| Hull construction material: | Aluminium |
| Superstructure construction material: | Aluminium |
| Deck construction material: | Aluminium |
| Plate cutting: | CNC |
| Length overall: | 16.3 metres |
| Beam: | 5.1 metres |
| Draught: | 1.6 metres |
| Displacement: | 20 tonnes |
| Main engine: | Scania DI13 079M, 552 kW |
| Gearbox: | Twin Disc MGX-6599A |
| Propulsion: | Steerprop propeller |
| Side thruster: | Sidepower |
| Steering system: | Hydraulically boosted system |
| Maximum speed: | 21 knots |
| Cruising speed: | 20 knots |
| Range: | 250 nautical miles |
| Batteries: | 2 x 220 Ah |
| Electronics supplied by: | Furuno |
| Radar: | Furuno DRS12A-NXT |
| Depth sounder: | SS60DT transducer |
| Radios: | 2 x Furuno FM-8900S handsets; 2 x McMurdo R5 Sea VHF |
| Autopilot: | Furuno Navpilot 711C |
| Compass: | Furuno SC70/MIC |
| GMDSS: | EPIRB G-8-A GPS; AIS-SART S5A; 2 x McMurdo Smartfind S10 AIS beacons |
| GPS: | Furuno GP170 |
| Plotters: | MaxSea |
| AIS: | Furuno FA-170, Class A |
| Audio/video system: | Furuno LH-5000 loudhailer |
| Alarm/monitoring system: | Furuno BR-500 BNWAS |
| Cameras/night vision: | 5 x night vision cameras |
| Other electronics: | Color camera display |
| Fendering: | D type rubber on bow; truck tyres on sides |
| Other equipment installed: | Solar screen sunshades; heating for windows; deck heating; handrail heating |
| Windows: | 9 |
| Seating: | 6 x Grammer AVENTO PRO AIR 930 |
| Interior lighting: | Frenchlight LED; emergency wheelhouse lighting |
| External lighting/searchlights: | Hella marine LED; Seematz searchlight; 2 x bow headlights |
| Floor/deck surface finishes: | International Paints |
| Interior designer: | Marine Alutech |
| Interior fitout/furnishings: | Marine Alutech |
| Safety equipment: | Handrails |
| Liferaft: | SOLAS B-certified |
| Type of fuel: | Diesel |
| Fuel capacity: | 2,000 litres |
| Fuel consumption: | 150 litres/hour |
| Crew: | 2 |
| Passengers: | 4 |
