COMPANY PROFILE

Safehaven Marine
History
After being caught out one too many times at the helm of vessels with poor sea keeping abilities during bad weather, Safehaven Marines Frank Kowalski, upon entering the marine industry, developed an interest in identifying what constituted good sea keeping for a vessel. Mr Kowalski resolved that good sea keeping was above all else, a boats ability to inspire confidence and instil a feeling of safety in her crew. The desire to design and build vessels encompassing this ethos then led him on a journey combining naval architecture studies and over two decades of practical experience in small vessel operation in all weather conditions. In 1996, the journey culminated with the establishment of Safehaven Marine in Cork, Ireland. Today, Mr Kowalski is responsible for all Safehaven-designed vessels, including the reputable Interceptor range of pilot boat monohulls, as well as the Wildcat range of catamarans. Safehaven have since built over 100 commercial vessels, each of which have gained a fine reputation for excellent sea keeping, sleek and graceful design and an acutely developed depth of engineering. The move occurred when the companys local commercial harbour, the Port of Cork, put out an international tender for a pilotage new vessel. The Ports then-Harbour Master, familiar with Safehavens distinct vessel designs, suggested that the company design a pilot boat based on the 12 metre Interceptor hull form and enter the tender. According to Safehaven, the company rose to the challenge, designing what is reportedly regarded as one of the most successful pilot boats available. Based on the companys medium-to-deep V semi-displacement twin chine hull, the craft combined excellent head sea abilities, confidence-inspiring stability, and significant safety credentials when running downwind in big and steep waves. The entrance to Cork harbour is a regular location for Safehavens sea trials. Here the hull designs and sea keeping abilities are tested and refined, most often with Frank Kowalski at the helm. Being exposed to the Atlantic and possessing a strong tidal race at its entrance, Cork Harbour has a reputation for producing an evil sea during storms in the winter months, said Safehaven. The pilot boats are regularly tested in conditions up to Storm Force 11, with 86 knots of wind and up to 10 metre breaking seas. Safehaven securing orders for two pilot vessels for Dublin, two for Portland, as well as tenders for St Malo, Malta, Figueria, Averio, Bayonne, and Roenne in Denmark. Hans Kummner, Harbour Master of Roenne Port, commented: Ursula, our Interceptor 42 pilot, was chosen because of its strength and sea keeping. She was built on time and to our complete satisfaction, and we have been extremely pleased with the vessels outstanding performance. We wish to add that that it was a pleasure to work with Frank and his staff, and were most impressed by their professionalism and hospitality. In 2007, Safehaven expanded its range with a new 16.5 metre version of the Interceptor pilot boat hull, a move that necessitated further expansion of the boatyards facilities. In 2008, Portugals Port of Sines took delivery of the first 16.5 metre pilot vessel and have been delighted with the vessel ever since. Our crew have been able to operate and undertake boarding in very rough conditions and they have been surprised by its speed and excellent sea keeping, said a Port of Sines spokesperson. Now, after over two years and 3,000 hours of operation without major problems, Atalantida Azul has proved to be a very reliable, safe and comfortable pilot boat in rough weather. An order for two Interceptor 55 pilot/patrol boats for the Port of Southampton in the United Kingdom soon followed, with the vessels Spitfire and Pathfinder proving very successful throughout operations in the Solent one of the UKs busiest waterways. In 2009, Safehavens range was further expended with a new 14.5 metre design to bridge the gap between the 13 metre and 16.5 metre length variants. This variant has since proved to be another successful vessel, with the first craft delivered in 2010 to Frances Port of Bordeaux. A further vessel, the Skua, was delivered to the Port of Liverpool in 2011, and another was delivered to repeat-customer Malta. Also in 2011, a smaller 11.5 metre pilot boat design was added to Safehavens portfolio, with an order for four being delivered to the Islands of the Azores. In January, 2012, the Port of Liverpool awarded Safehaven Marine a repeat contract to replace their fleet of pilot boats, ordering further Interceptor 48 pilots for delivery in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

GOOD SEA KEEPING IN BAD WEATHER

A Safehaven Interceptor pilot/SAR boat undergoing sea trials near Cork, off the Irish Coast

Turnstone, an Interceptor 48 pilot for the Port of Liverpool

An Interceptor 38 pilot/SAR vessel facing a huge breaking sea during a storm

All boat building, vessel development and design is done in-house at Safehavens Cork-based facility

Confidence-inspiring pilot boats

After building many different types of commercial work boats, including passenger vessels, fishing boats, dive/charter boats and recreational variants, Safehaven moved into the specialised pilot boat market in 2004.

Recent deliveries and testimonials

In 2005, the Cork pilot vessel was delivered and proved to be a fine pilot boat. The success of this vessel then led to

Having had Skua in successful operational evaluation over the past year, the Port of Liverpools pilots praised the new craft for its abilities to increase the Ports operational envelope. Previously, when conditions over the bar reached over two metres, the port was forced to close for shipping activities, as it was unsafe for transiting pilots. However, since operating the Skua, the Port has been able to operate pilotage even when seas exceeded three metres and winds of 38 knots. In another example of repeat business from a happy customer, the second vessel Turnstone was delivered in January, 2013. Other recent deliveries include pilot vessels to Algecerias in Spain, Aden in Yemen, and to P&O Maritime for operations in Matubo, Mozambique. Perhaps the most significant recent delivery was a new pilot boat for Safehavens local harbour, the Port of Cork. The vessel order came six years after the Port took delivery of the companys first pilot boat, thus encouraging Safehaven to boldly enter into the pilot boat category. Now taking delivery of the companys twenty-seventh pilot boat, the vessel is a landmark craft from a local company that is now considered a leader in pilot boat design and production.

Safehavens Wildcat catamaran punching through steep head seas

A range of vessel types

Over the years, Safehaven has been able to utilise industry experience to engineer and equip vessels so that downtime, through service, or equipment failure are reduced to minimum levels: Pilot vessels in particular have to be very well engineered, you always have to think to yourself: how will that component survive when punching through waves or impacting

on a ships side, day in, day out for years, with often the minimum of preventative maintenance? commented Mr Kowalski. As well as pilot vessels, Safehaven produce the Wildcat catamaran, a high bow buoyancy design capable of operating in rough seas and produced in sizes ranging from 12 metres to 18 metres in length. These Wildcat vessels have proved successful, especially in the growing offshore wind farm support sector, with several vessels operating on wind farms throughout the UK. Safehaven also possesses significant experience in building specialised hydrographic survey and research vessels. The company has supplied survey catamarans specially equipped for multi beam sonar surveys, developing and refining a unique sonar head deployment system and delivering vessels to the Port of Liverpool, Teesport and La Reunion, France. Recently, Safehaven has also branched out into the search and

rescue market, with the company building a lifeboat based on the Interceptor 48 hull form for the Faroe Islands Rescue Service, as well as recently launching an Interceptor 38 search and rescue vessel. Safehaven have a very skilled and experienced workforce encompassing the full spectrum of boat building skills. All work is undertaken in-house, and the company stays at the forefront of new technological developments, continually refining and developing vessel designs to maintain pole-position in the work boat industry. The company are international in their geographical portfolio of vessels, supplying craft as far away as Scandinavia, the Indian Ocean and to the Middle East. For further information contact: Safehaven Marine, Ireland. Email: info@safehavenmarine.com Web: www.safehavenmarine.com
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