A boat building company has celebrated the launch of the first of three pilot vessels it has been contracted to construct.
Goodchild Marine based at Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, has launched the Kittiwake, an ORC 17m pilot vessel to be operated in Liverpool by Briggs Marine.
She is the first of three boats constructed for Briggs Marine with the overall process of designing and building them lasting about two years.
After sea trials the Kittiwake, which can operate at 60 miles out to sea, will head to Liverpool to take pilots out to ships.
Once the third boat is built it will mean Goodchild will have constructed five of that class of boats, with the previous other two operating at Ramsgate.
Most of the firm's 35 staff worked on the Kittiwake and are working on the other two vessels. Ian Palmer, sales manager, said: 'We are absolutely delighted it is such a big contract.'
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