Teignmouth Harbour Commission has a new pilot boat to help guide ships through the estuary to the port.

The new pilot boat previously served as Filey’s all-weather lifeboat - Keepfit Association. The Mersey Class vessel operated from her North Yorkshire base for 20 years before being retired to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) relief fleet in 2021. Filey replaced Keepfit Association with a B Class Atlantic, Marjorie Shepherd, thanks to a legacy gift.

Teignmouth Harbour Commission is awaiting coding approval from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency before it can commission the new pilot boat into service. ‘We will be undertaking a naming and blessing ceremony of the boat in the near future,’ a Teignmouth Harbour Commission spokesperson said.

The new pilot boat replaces the Syd Hook, which is being retired.

Teignmouth has operated as a working port for over 300 years and sees over 700 shipping movements a year. The average deadweight vessel coming through the narrow estuary channel weights 3000 metric tonnes and is 90 metres long. The Associated British Port (ABP) dock can accommodate up to four vessels at a time.

Teignmouth Harbour has an experienced team of pilots who navigate all vessels over 30 metres in length as they enter and exit the estuary. They also help vessels manoeuvre within the harbour. As well as a pilot boat, the port has a tug, the Teign C, which helps vessels with limited manoeuvrability.

The Teign C also operates as a plough dredger to maintain the shipping channel to the port.