At a naming ceremony in Ramsgate attended, HRH The Princess Royal officially named Estuary Elise, a state-of-the-art ORC171 pilot boat to join Estuary Service Limited’s fleet of six vessels. Built by Norfolk-based family boat builders, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd.
The pilot boat uses a modern, fuel-efficient hull form, providing both greater service resilience and comfort, whilst supporting Estuary Service Limited’s customers. The vessel design also includes additional accommodation and extra capacity for customers.
Robert Brown, Managing Director of Estuary Services Limited said, “We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Ramsgate today to name our new pilot boat, Estuary Elise. This is the latest addition to supplement our fleet and will provide greater resilience, an even better service to our port customers, and – through improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions – supports our ongoing commitment to improving our environmental performance.”
Stephen Pierce, General Manager of Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, reflected on the long-standing partnership between the two companies, “Estuary Services Limited had the first ORC pilot boat built by us, and over the next twelve years those numbers have increased to over 30 in total for ports around the UK and Europe. This would not have been possible without the vision and commitment of ESL back then to be innovative in their approach to the next generation of pilot boats. It is with great pride that we see another ORC pilot boat enter service with ESL and our continued working relationship.”
With the Port of London Authority (PLA) expecting significant growth in the coming decades, Robin Mortimer, PLA Chief Executive, highlighted the importance of the new addition: “This British-built boat joins the ESL fleet as we approach one of the busiest times of year for the Port of London in the run-up to Christmas. Estuary Elise is designed specifically to meet the needs of the Port of London and ESL’s other customers, ensuring our pilots can reach our customers’ ships in the Thames Estuary and Medway in all weathers. Already the UK’s biggest port, we’re planning for a further 50% growth by 2050. This new cutter will both support our extensive pilot recruitment and training programme, and help us meet and exceed our 98% service commitment to our customers.
“The whole ESL team, our PLA pilots and colleagues from other ports, join me in thanking HRH The Princess Royal for naming the Estuary Elise today and for her ongoing support and commitment to the UK’s maritime sector.”
