In many regions of the world, vessels from Australian shipyard Hart Marine in Mornington, Victoria, are regarded as the “pilot boat of choice,” with many of them installed with the Volvo Penta
Photo: Volvo Penta
In many regions of the world, vessels from Australian shipyard Hart Marine in Mornington, Victoria, are regarded as the “pilot boat of choice,” with many of them installed with the Volvo Penta IPS (inboard performance system).
Over the last four decades, the company has specialized in the production of high-performance pilot and patrol vessels, including the Orc pilot, police and rescue boats.
Volvo Penta says that its IPS ensures peak performance for operations crucial to safety and security.
Building on this success, Hart Marine installed Volvo Penta IPS systems on four new recently completed Orc 173 pilot boats Each has been outfitted with a Volvo Penta IPS900 system and twin Volvo Penta D13 engines. The all-weather, self-righting crafts will be used to transfer pilots to incoming ships and aid navigation in Australian as international ports.
“These vessels must handle critical operations in some of Australia’s most challenging maritime environments,” said Graeme Taylor, general manager at Hart Marine. ‘The southern waters are kown to be rough, with southern water currents, strong winds, extreme weather fluctuations and challenging depth curves The powerful combination of Volvo Penta IPS and Volvo Penta D13 engines ensures these new vessels will balance high-speed performance and operational efficiency in these conditions.”
Optimized for speed and precision
Speed and maneuverability are vital to pilot boats. The ability to reach high speeds quickly is essential for minimizing transit times and responding to emergencies. Precise maneuverability can make or break a mission.
The 17.55-meter Orc 173 vessels are equipped with Volvo Penta interceptor systems to reduce wave resistance. Volvo Penta D13-IPS900 engines provide 485 kW each — a total of 970 kW per vessel — enabling them to reach 35 knots with a cruising speed of 28 knots. The 12.8-liter displacement.6-cylinder diesel engines are four-stroke direct-injected, turbocharged and aftercooled units.
Comparing the performance of vessels powered by the Volvo Penta D13 Inboard and those equipped with the Volvo Penta D13 IPS, the differences are evident across fuel consumption, acceleration, top speed, and maneuverability.
The IPS system’s forward-facing, twin counter-rotating propellers and individually steerable pods significantly enhance efficiency and handling, delivering faster acceleration and higher top speeds with lower fuel consumption. Joystick Docking allows for precise, intuitive low-speed control, making close-quarter maneuvering and docking effortless. Additionally, the optimized hydrodynamic design of Volvo Penta IPS enables vessels to maintain efficient cruise speeds of around 20 knots while consuming less fuel compared to conventional inboard shaft installations.
Advanced marine technology for seamless operations
“The Volvo Penta dynamic positioning system is like using a handbrake in a car — with one press of a button, the vessel will just sit there in any wind or tide — it’s incredible. Volvo Penta IPS offers a toggle switch which makes docking unbelievably easy. It’s like you’ve trained the boat to follow your hand. It’s even better than we anticipated,” said Rob Welsh, launch coordinator at Flinders Ports.
Hart Marine outfitted the Orc 173 vessels with the Volvo Penta Glass Cockpit, which integrates all navigation, engine data and monitoring into one large, high-resolution screen, providing a clear and comprehensive view of the vessel’s surroundings and systems. This fully digital control system provides operators with a clear overview of vital information on high-resolution displays, improving situational awareness and operational efficiency. This allows the crew to monitor vital parameters like engine performance, fuel levels and navigational charts. It enables them to make informed decisions quickly and without having to switch their attention across multiple screens.
The integration of Volvo Penta IPS, Glass Cockpit and Volvo Penta engines gives Hart Marine a single point of contact for service and maintenance. Instead of dealing with multiple suppliers and partners for different components, the team can rely on Volvo Penta and its dealers for comprehensive support
“It’s been a great success for Hart Marine and Flinders Port. This really is a steppingstone into the future of the pilot boat industry,” said Malcolm Hart, managing director of Hart Marine.
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