Spanish aluminium shipbuilder AISTER, has completed construction of two MZ12 PILOT pilot boats for Honduras’ National Port Authority (Empresa Nacional Portuaria ENP), with the vessels now undergoing final sea trials in the Vigo estuary ahead of deployment in Honduras.
The two aluminium pilot boats, named San Lorenzo and Merendón, will operate at Puerto Henecán and Puerto Cortés, respectively, under the Honduran flag once the final testing programme has been completed.
The milestone marks the conclusion of the construction phase of a project announced by AISTER last October to support and strengthen pilotage services in Honduras.
The two boats have been designed and optimized to meet the specific operational requirements of their destinations in the Central American country:
- “San Lorenzo”: Vessel assigned to the pilotage service in Puerto Henecán (San Lorenzo), a strategic enclave for maritime trade in the Honduran Pacific.
- “Merendón”: Unit destined for Puerto Cortés , the country’s main port infrastructure and one of the ports with the highest cargo traffic in Central America.
Both vessels are approximately 12 meters long and 4 meters wide, built on a deep-V monohull constructed of high-strength marine-grade aluminum. This configuration ensures exceptional seaworthiness, high maneuverability, and a robust structural response during intensive boarding and pilot transfer operations.
During the current sea trials, AISTER’s technical teams are verifying the hydrodynamic response, maneuverability, and performance of the twin propulsion system (comprising two 350 hp marine diesel engines). This system allows the MZ12 PILOT series to achieve sustained speeds exceeding 26 knots, combining energy efficiency and operational power.
In addition, the levels of acoustic comfort, the habitability of the control cabin and the effectiveness of the integrated navigation, rescue and firefighting equipment are being thoroughly examined, in strict compliance with international Merchant Marine standards and regulations.
“Seeing both vessels sailing together in the Vigo estuary after completing their construction is a great source of satisfaction for the entire AISTER team. The MZ12 PILOT vessels have been designed to offer maximum safety and agility to Honduran pilots in their daily tasks of maneuvering and assisting international maritime traffic.” — Francisco Pita, technical director of AISTER
Following the successful completion of sea trials in the Galician estuary and official acceptance, the vessels will be prepared for their subsequent transfer and immediate incorporation into active service in Puerto Henecán and Puerto Cortés.
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