Ship Report Podcasts: Pilot boats - a special breed

Here’s a nice video of the ‘Independent Vision’ having her pilot embarked offshore by the Cork pilot boat ‘Failte’ an Interceptor 48 before she enters Cork Harbour. We also undertook some alongside handling trials at the same time with ‘San Cibrao’ before she is shipped to Spain. Sure was interesting trying to land the drone back on the boat in the 40kt winds offshore!

Dublin Port Company has taken delivery of a new Pilot Boat, named DPC Tolka. The state-of-the art vessel arrived in Dublin Port having set sail from Great Yarmouth via Lowestoft, Dover, Gosport, Plymouth, Falmouth and Milford Haven.

At the A&R shipyard in Germany, the successful principle of SWATH boats was further developed in 2013: The SWASH principle allows sea-going, smaller and more economical boats.

The Southern Ports Authority of Western Australia recently welcomed a new pilot boat into service.
Built by Hart Marine of Victoria, the boat has been named Wardan after the sea water off Wardandi Country, where it will also primarily operate.

Gdańsk-Pilot, which provides pilotage services in the ports of Gdańsk, Elbląg and on the Vistula Lagoon, has officially christened its two newest pilot boats Pilot 23 and Pilot 24.
Read more: https://www.marinepoland.com/new-pilot-boats-christened-at-port-of-gdansk-video-1656

In this video we follow along with Capt. Dane of the Palm Beach Harbor Pilots Association on a windy Saturday morning as he brings in a massive bulk carrier cargo ship into the Port of Palm Beach. This vessel which has a draft of 27 ft, and a beam of 99 ft is the maximum allowable size vessel allowed to transit into the port due to the shoaling going on that forces all vessel to have a maximum operating draft of 29 ft. No room for error. Also featured in this video is a regular cargo vessel...

Accurate and real-time pilot movement information is vital for port communities and their customers, whether you are a ship operator planning an upcoming port call, a terminal operator planning the berth scheduling, or a port agent arranging cargo and husbandry services. By receiving timely updates of scheduled and actual vessel movements at port, this will allow each stakeholder to plan and execute their day-to-day operations accordingly.

Discover your true worth, you're not searching for gold, you are the gold!

Bremen, 24.10.14: How to navigate a ship properly? How do you enter which port? Future captains, but also experienced pilots train in the "Ship Handling Simulator" at Bremen University of Applied Sciences.

The Indian Register of Shipping has published a Technical Circular on pilot boarding arrangements this week. Here you can download and read the document.