Published: 1 September 2026

After 10 years supporting LPC pilots navigate vessels through Lyttelton Harbour, LPC’s first Portable Pilotage Unit (PPU), affectionately known as ‘Pinky’, is retiring from service and preparing for a new role supporting pilotage training across the Pacific.

The Navicom ChannelPilot Mk3 has been a tool for LPC pilots for the past decade, providing navigational information to support safe and efficient pilotage operations.

Rather than being retired permanently, Pinky is being donated to the Pacific Pilotage Training Group. Navicom Dynamics will fully refurbish the unit before it is used for pilotage training and operations in the Pacific Islands.

The initiative is supported by the New Zealand Maritime Pilots Association (NZMPA) and forms part of a wider effort to strengthen pilotage capability and improve maritime safety across the Pacific region.

LPC Pilot, Phillip Sweetman, recently visited Navicom Dynamics, one of the world’s leading developers of portable pilotage technology, to discuss how they could support future operations at LPC.

“The Navicom team shared their development roadmap and their vision of where future PPU technology development is heading,” said Phillip.

LPC will be among the first Ports to purchase the newly launched ChannelPilot X (CPX) to upgrade existing technology, incorporating the latest developments in positioning and navigation technology.

The visit provided valuable insight as LPC considers the next generation of portable pilotage technology and how emerging innovations could support our operations.