Helicopter Hoist Operations

Helicopter Hoist Operations (HHO) means the transfer of persons and loads by means of a hoist cable.  Well known from SAR operations, HHO is also used to transfer shipping pilots to vessels underway.  NHV works for the Belgian Pilotage Service to transport shipping pilots to and from ships in front of the Belgian coast when the regular Pilot Service using the Pilot Vessel  is suspended during stormy weather.  NHV also has a contract with the Dutch Pilotage services to transfer pilots to large vessels inbound the Rotterdam and Ijmuiden harbours and to transfer pilots from/to ships during storm conditions.

Technical personnel  is sometimes transferred to windmills situated in Offshore Windfarms when urgent repairs have to be made.

Helicopters used for this operation are the Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin.