Tuesday, October 1st is the start date of the latest International Maritime Pilot Association's annual Safety Campaign.

Previous campaigns by the association have consistently shown results of pilot ladder deficiencies around the 20% mark.

On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.

Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.

Article and pictures by Captain W J M Hargreaves, Retired Southampton Pilot

The Ever Act, the worlds largest and the second to be built out of a series of 12 record breaking vessels prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 9 with a maximum draught of 10.2 metres for her next port of Hamburg.  As the DFDS ferry was heading inbound at the North Shipwash, Harwich VTS had asked then to make best speed so they planned to get the Suecia Seaways through before the Ever Act broke away. A Harwich Haven Pilot Launch heads over from Harwich with a pilot for the Ever Act....

In a navigation incident, the first line of inquiry would normally cover the bridge watchkeepers. While the human element plays a significant role in these incidents, it is perhaps worth asking, what if some geographic areas are more prone to navigation incidents than others?

A ride along with a harbor pilot as he guided a cargo ship from Galveston Bay through the Houston Ship Channel into a port on Buffalo Bayou.

Armstrong Marine USA recently delivered Piloto VIII to support marine pilotage operations in and around the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico.

A Dutch man, after having stolen the pilots' boat and set fire to it, sowed panic in the port of Livorno, giving rise to a chase at sea.