Vessel | LAUNCH & DELIVERY
Mustang vessel handover to Milford Haven
UK-based shipbuilder Mustang Marine has successfully delivered another pilot launch to Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA), four months earlier than stipulated in the contract.
P
icton is the third vessel in a class of 19.5m high-speed vessels to be designed by Camarc Ltd and built
by Mustang Marine at its yard in Pembroke Dock. Te first launch, Robert Hastie, was delivered in 2000 and the second, Skomer, was delivered in early 2006. Picton is similar to Skomer and has been built to function as a pilot boat to serve the port’s growing commercial traffic, but it will also act as a patrol launch and take visiting dignitaries on inspection tours of the Haven. Capable of nearly 20kts, Picton can carry
a complement of 12 persons in patrol and launch mode or up to seven pilots and crew in the pilot boat role. The launch features a steel hull and
deck structure designed to withstand the rigours of pilotage work in the demanding conditions which prevail in the approaches to Milford Haven.
As the sixth largest port in the UK,
handling just under 53m gross tonnes of shipping last year, Milford Haven’s reputation as a strategic energy hub is about to be reaffirmed with the imminent arrival of LNG. Te investment in Picton is further demonstration of the Authority’s commitment to meeting the demands of increased port usage through safe and efficient pilot transfer. MHPA operate in a compulsory pilotage
area. Picton has been designed and built to operate in Category 3 waters; that is up to 20miles from the port. Her duty cycle is expected to be an average of 2500hours per year. Slow-speed cruising will account for between 25 to 60% of the operating hours, with the remainder at service speed. The complete superstructure is an
independent aluminium alloy structure mounted on eight flexible mounts
designed to reduce onboard noise levels. Close consideration has been paid to weight control to produce a robust and sea-friendly craſt fit for its demanding role. In view of operational requirements, weight refinement was not taken to the limits allowed by classification rules, but has been carefully considered to combine robust construction with efficient operation. Te design pays a high level of attention to the preferences and requirements of the user and in this context, the requirement for speed has been considered secondary to the need to operate in a hostile environment. Like her forerunners, Picton, has been
designed to have a minimum service life of 15 years in harsh environment. Te structure is designed and built to
the requirements of the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Special Service Craſt Rules. It meets the MCA Small Commercial
This image shows the people involved in the handover of Picton to Milford Haven Port Authority (credit: Mustang Marine).
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Ship & Boat International March/April 2009
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