The first volume of Pilots concentrated on the stories of American and British schooners. Volume 2 enters what for many will be a less familiar world... that of the remarkable pilot brigs and small undecked craft. Schooners range from the Hiates of Portugal to the beautiful station boats of the North Sea ports of Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and France. The development of the schooners themselves into such highly sophisticated craft is traced from regional predecessors. Volume 2 of Pilots is not just about boats — the sailors also have their role. The book follows highly difficult manoeuvres under sail, dangerous transfers at sea, the routine of everyday life, and the perils of heavy weather including ships wrecked and lives saved. All aspects of a spectacular and previously unpublished maritime tradition are considered, not forgetting the competitions between pilots to be the best crews.
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Video Thomas Levillain, Marine Pilot at Pilotage de la Seine, France
published on 10 December 2021
Article USCG Safety Alert on Handhold Stanchions
published on 14 February 2023
Video Maritime Training: Man Overboard! Training Video
published on 4 July 2020
Video How GPS works? Trilateration explained
published on 4 July 2019
Video OMC International - Suezmax Tanker - Case Study
published on 14 October 2019
Video Pilot Ladder on Ships- Correct rigging procedure 2020
published on 8 January 2021
Correct method of rigging pilot ladder explained.
As explained, a large number of reports related to the use of pilot ladders which are too long relative to the vessel’s draughts. As a result, the excessively long ladders require shortening up before being deployed for boarding pilots. In these cases, ship crew shortens the pilot ladders, using D-shackles to choke the side ropes at the required height along the ladder’s length. In this method, the D-shackle is first secured to a hard point...
Video 24/7 Live Webcam - Kiel Canal at Kiel Lock in Germany | Nord-Ostsee-Kanal Schleuse Kiel
published on 29 August 2020
Article A review of the ship’s pivot point: Science, Maths and Observation’ Where is the centre of a ship’s rotation?
by Tim Cummins, Harbour Pilot, Portsmouth International Port - published on 17 July 2020
This my attempt to do just that. This is a summary of all scientific papers and articles that I could find about the ship’s pivot point. I have added links to any videos associated with the publications and have also included any useful diagrams or equations that the authors published to help explain their research.
Article First autonomous cargo ship faces 236-mile test in February
published on 1 September 2021
In just two decades from now, half of all domestic ships plying Japan’s coastal waters may be piloting themselves. That’s the ambitious goal of the Nippon Foundation, a public-interest organization backing the country’s development of ocean-traversing autonomous ships. It aims to see crewless ships make up 50% of Japan’s local fleet by 2040.
