Safehaven´s "Celso Madeira" for Portugal's Sines Port starts sea trials

Pilot Boat Design by ShipMar
More detail at
https://shipmar.com/divisions/harbour-and-terminal/pilot-1350/

After years of looking, the Port of Grays Harbor has its new pilot boat, the Vega, to replace the 60-year-old Chehalis.

It is frequently a Maritime requirement for a ship to employ and have onboard, a Ships Pilot when entering port. His/ her presence will greatly enhance the safe docking of a vessel into port, harbor or to an anchorage.

Pilot Cutter 19.6m for sale with Boatshed Wales - https://wales.boatshed.com/pilot_cutter_196m-boat-311150.html Photos and video taken by Boatshed Wales

The term pilot is defined as, “a person who is qualified and usually licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters.” The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 states that, “a pilot is any person not belonging to a ship who has the conduct thereof.”

Ships in Freeport of Riga

How do marine pilots work? Example: Bringing a bulkcarrier alongside to „Hansaport“ in Hamburg. Here the tugboats „Prompt“, „Resolute“ and „Bulldog“ are involved. The master has to rely on the pilot. One reason is, that he can‘t know how to deal with these tugs. A maneuver like this is only safe, when the pilot has a lot of practical experience. A master who is doing a maneuver like this only about once or twice a month and each time with tugs he doesn’t know in areas he hasn’t been to...

In early December, just as I was starting to get into ship spotting, I saw a couple of vessels headed up river towards Philly. One of them, the Cielo di Iyo met with the harbor pilot right as I had my drone up. I was able to capture the Pilot coming to meet the vessel and CLIMBING the ladder to get on board just before she passed beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Conapra / Praticagem do Brasil have issued a notice “Common Errors in the pilot boarding arrangement “. In this notice, reference is made to international regulations ( Solas V Reg 23, IMO 1045 and ISO 799 ) as well as national regulations.