Macduff Ship Design is pleased to announce that Colombo Dockyard PLC has delivered two Pilot Launches to Sri Lanka Ports Authority. The two vessels are the first of a three-vessel contract, with the third vessel currently in build.

The Pilot Launches were of a revised repeat design supplied by Macduff Ship Design Ltd of Scotland. The launches will serve to transport pilots from shore to ship and can accommodate a total number of eight persons, including four crew members and four pilots and achieve a service speed of 22k on trials.

These Pilot Launches are designed to hold a high degree of stability and comfort in all weather conditions and provide a stable platform during embarking and disembarking Pilots. The vessels are of steel hull and Aluminium wheelhouse construction. They are powered by two Caterpillar C32 Main engines driving through ZF3050A with 2.52:1 reduction ratio gearboxes to 1,050mm diameter fixed pitch propellers supplied by Teignbridge propulsion.

Both Colombo Dockyard and Macduff Ship Design are delighted to also be able to confirm that they have entered into a contract with KOWA company Ltd of Japan to supply a further variant of this vessel.