Gladding-Hearn Delivers High-Speed Pilot Boat to Maryland Pilots
The Association of Maryland Pilots has taken delivery of a new Baltimore Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding.
The vessel is a sistership to the first of its class delivered four years earlier.
Built with an aluminum hull and based on the Ray Hunt Design deep-V, the launch measures 48.5 feet long, with a 15.6-foot beam and a 4-foot draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D13 diesel engines, the vessel can reach speeds of up to 30 knots, making it faster than larger offshore pilot boats.
The launch is designed for harbor service and adapted to handle extreme seasonal temperatures in Baltimore. Features include heated decks, windows, and handrails, as well as 40,000 BTU HVAC and an engine cooling system capable of recirculating water for ice operations.
The boat includes shock-mitigating seating, wide side decks, and a powered J-Basket rescue system that can recover a pilot from the water in under 10 seconds. A featured Humphree interceptor system with automatic trim optimization and Bruntons 5-blade NiBrAl propellers are said to support efficient maneuvering.
The vessel’s wheelhouse is positioned amidships and features five NorSap seats, storage compartments, and additional equipment for pilot operations.
Vessel Data and Specifications Information
Vessel Name | FEDERAL HILL
Hull Type | Deep-V monohull
Owner | Association of Maryland Pilots
Builder | Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation
Architect | Ray Hunt Design
Vessel length | 48.5 feet
Vessel beam | 15.6 feet
Vessel draft | 4.0 feet
Date keel laid | 04-Nov-24
Date launched | 12-Nov-25
Date delivered | 21-Nov-25
Main engines (number/make/model) | (2) Volvo Penta D13, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each 600 Bhp at 1900 rpm
Engine supplier | Power Products, Wakefield MA
Gears | (2) ZF400A gear boxes
Propellers | (2) 5-blade Bruntons NiBrAl
Engine controls | Volvo Penta EVC dual-lever, combined-function control system installed at two stations, at the helm in the wheelhouse and at the aft-deck control station
Genset | 12KW Northern Lights M673L3G
Steering system | Seastar Optimus steering system is installed at the helm in the wheelhouse and at the aft-deck control station. Each station is fitted with an electronic helm unit and SS destroyer-type wheel. A CanTrak display is located on the wheelhouse console for system programming and rudder-angle indication. Installed at the transom is a Humphree trim tab control system with an Automatic Trim Optimization feature.
Radar | (2) Furuno TZTL16, 16” Multi Function Displays; Furuno DRS6ANXT Radar w/ Furuno XN12A/4 4' open-array radar scanner
VHF | (2) Furuno 4800 VHF radios, (2) 8' Shakespeare antennas, (2) Furuno 4800A handsets
GPS | (2) Furuno GP330B GPS/WAAS Sensors;
AIS | Furuno FA-170 AIS, 4' Shakespeare VHF/AIS antenna
Depth sounder | Furuno depth sounder 600watts 200/50kHz
Compass (type/make) 5" Ritchie, Furuno SC33 satelite compass
Loud hailer/siren | Furuno LH5000
Other | FLIR M 332 Thermal Camera, 13" Furuno TZtouchXL display
Sewage system | Porta-Potty
Fuel | 400 U.S. gal
Sewage holding tank | Porta-Potty 5 U.S. gal
Crew size | Captain & 1 deckhand
Speed (loaded) | 30 knots
Other Systems of Importance | Squared-off bow; heated windows, decks and handrails; (2) 12000 Btu reverse-cycle HVAC units in wheelhouse, (1) 16000 Btu HVAC unit in forecastle; NorSap shock-mitigating seats; Harken TR31 safety rail system on the side handrails and the front of the wheelhouse. Main engine cooling systems recirculate cooling water when operating in ice.
