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 All aspects of a spectacular and previously unpublished maritime tradition are considered, not forgetting the competitions between pilots to be the best crews.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 ETA and EMPA Efficient and safe towage operations
published on 31 August 2022
The European Tugowners Association in collaboration with the European Maritime Pilots Association has produced this informative video on efficient and safe towage operations. These guidelines address the main factors affecting the safety of harbour towage operations such as good communications between pilots, ship captains and tugmasters.
Video Interceptor 60 Pilot alongside ship handling sea trials
published on 2 April 2025
Opinion A Brief Comparison of the 2021 and 2022 IMPA Safety Campaigns
by Capt. Uluç Hanhan - published on 20 December 2022
Video 18 meter pilot boat built by Hart Marine, with ZF Marine Transmission
published on 28 February 2020
Video Pilot boats & ship boarding in rough weather
published on 10 November 2022
We we’re out on sea trials with the two newly launched Interceptor 48 pilot boats when the Port of Cork pilot boat ‘Failte’ passed by to undertake a pilot transfer from an outbound ship. It was a nice opportunity to capture some cool video of the action as the boats ran alongside before the ship turned to create a lee for the pilot to disembark. Although the seas weren’t very big, it was blowing hard at the time with gusts of over 50kts recorded at Roches PT lighthouse as we passed.
Video SWIRE new ship SUVA CHIEF, dangerous swaying rope ladder for pilot disembark
published on 3 April 2021
For viewers not familiar with the Swire name, the company is a big conglomerate group with businesses in trading, property and aviation (Cathay Pacific) 00:00 SUVA CHIEF, new ship from Swire Shipping, outbound Hong Kong 太古船務的新船 00:20 the ship is running on the North Asia Express (NAX) routing. 新船負責在北亞快運（NAX）航線 01:15 MSC Venice asking why Suva Chief is slow, and the pilot boat still waiting 後面的船 MSC Venice 問為什麼 Suva Chief 在減速 04:15 Pilot finally leaves the bridge tower 領航員終於離開了橋塔 06:...
Video Smart Ports: Piers of the Future
published on 25 November 2019
Video Dangerous disembarking. Very unprofessional actions.
published on 28 July 2021
