New patrol boat for Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
10:59am Wednesday 27th June 2012 in In Port
New patrol boat for Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
Falmouth Harbour Commissioners has welcomed a new patrol boat to its fleet this week, the culmination of a two-year project.
The £100,000 investment, which was unveiled at international trade show Seawork 2012, will replace the ageing patrol boat Killigrew which will be disposed of and take over the name.
The new 7.9m catamaran will be used for safety and enforcement patrols in the harbour, as well as survey and research work.
She will also guide ships docking within the harbour and provide back-up and assistance for emergency response.
Falmouth Harbour Master Captain Mark Sansom said: “We are delighted to welcome the new Killigrew into service. She is a fantastic asset for Falmouth and one of which we are very proud.
“Killigrew is a versatile workboat and much more economical and environmentally friendly than the old boat, so will be cleaner and quieter.
“We would like to extend a big thank you to all those who have worked so hard to get the work finished. We are very pleased with the results and looking forward to getting her up and running in time for peak season.”
Killigrew’s special features include an electric winch with swinging davit for deployment of survey and monitoring equipment when working with researchers and students.
Killigrew has been designed and built by Cheetah Marine, leaders in the design and construction of catamarans under 10m.
Sean Strevens, Cheetah designer, said: “While our catamarans often have highly specialist equipment, the configuration and stability allows use for a diverse range of applications.
“As cut backs increase, it is critical that we continue to provide the most flexible solutions and cost effective vessels with minimal running costs. We are delighted to work with Falmouth Harbour Commissioners on this project.”
Smithwick, which came into service in 1992, did not comply with modern safety requirements and costs to run her were escalating. The boat will now be sold.
