The 42-year-old pilot boat St George has now been replaced with a brand new vessel built over a 20-month period.
The Department of Marine and Ports Services received the vessel, this week, after it completed a near 750-mile passage from Newport.
Built by the renowned East Coast shipbuilders Gladding-Hearn in Massachusetts, the new craft was renamed Little George, built by Gladding-Hearn in 1980.
The 52ft-long pilot boat has a draft of five feet, is powered by twin Caterpillar 750 horsepower engines, and has a delivery speed of 21.5 knots (25mph).
Similar to the 61ft pilot/rescue boat St David, it was designed with good sea-keeping capabilities in rough water.
Minister of Transport, Wayne Furbert, thanked the Director of Marine and Ports, Rudy Cann, the department’s technical teams and support staff who worked with Gladding-Hearn on the build.
“Over the ensuing days, St George will be inspected and signed off by the Marine and Ports technical team, reflagged and registered at Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority. We anticipate St George going into service shortly after,” he said.
St George complements the two-boat fleet for the Bermuda Branch Pilot Service and provides pilotage to all commercial vessels arriving and departing Bermuda.
St George will be a back-up offshore search-and-rescue vessel to St David stationed down at the east.
TOP FEATURE Photo From left, Mario Thompson, Marine & Ports, Peter Duclos, Gladding-Heran and Rudy Cann, director of Marine & Ports – Photograph supplied
