Opinion

Book review: Practical Ship Handling, Fourth Edition, by Malcolm C. Armstrong


by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 5 June 2020 638 -

Some ship handlers today use electronic instruments from start to finish and these ships usually have powerful engines and thrusters and an almost unlimited number of personnel on the bridge.

So what is done on such ships if the engines or thrusters fail or if the electronic navigation instruments die? How many tugs do we need? How shall we use them? What type and power are the tugs in this port? How do we communicate with the tugs? Pilots know the answers to these questions as they are applicable to the pilot’s particular district. It takes time to become an experienced pilot and this book will help. Most ships do not have unlimited personnel, in which case the pilot is like a one man band.

Bridge Resource Management (BRM) is the catch phrase of today’s ship handling, but the Resource is often very limited. From this book, ship’s masters and officers can learn a lot about practical ship handling and how they can help the person who has the con and this will be useful knowledge for them whether or not they ever handle a ship themselves; it will certainly help with BRM.

Many of today’s ships, especially very large underpowered ships require assistance from tugs and there are some manoeuvres that are rarely or never executed or observed by some mariners, for example running moor and other anchor work or securing a ship to a single buoy and these are described in this book. There is also good advice about specific helm orders and the need for brevity especially where language is a problem.

Author of the book: Malcolm C. Armstrong, FNI, Hon. Member of IMPA
Editor's note:
Opinion pieces reflect the personal opinion of individual authors. They do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about a prevailing opinion in the respective editorial department. Opinion pieces might be deliberately formulated in a pronounced or even explicit tone and may contain biased arguments. They might be intended to polarise and stimulate discussion. In this, they deliberately differ from the factual articles you typically find on this platform, written to present facts and opinions in as balanced a manner as possible.

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
SN
Santosha K Nayak Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd., India
on 11 June 2020, 17:40 UTC

A new and complete book on marine pilotage has been published in June 2020.
Pls check the link. below.
https://notionpress.com/read/theory-and-practices-of-marine-pilotage
0

Read more...

Article Shiphandling at shipyards, never a dull moment...

by Marine Pilot Luis Vale, Portugal - published on 20 September 2019

Drydocking or undocking is always a difficult task, particularly with a “dead” vessel (no power/propulsion) and the wind blowing on the ship's side.

0

Article The Road Towards Autonomous Ship Handling with Tugs

by Captain Henk Hensen (Marine Consultant) - published on 5 November 2019

Currently, several means of transport are undergoing an accelerated development towards automation and automated movements. This development will also impact future ship handling with tugs. A glimpse into the future of tug boat operation.

1

Article ARMSTRONG MARINE COMPLETES NAIAD PILOT BOAT BOUND FOR MEXICO

by BRIX Marine - published on 2 January 2020

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

0

Article Human Error in Pilotage Operations

published on 3 December 2024

This article was first published back in September 2021: Pilotage operations require close interaction between human and machines. This complex sociotechnical system is necessary to safely and efficiently maneuver a vessel in constrained waters.

0

Video Pilot disembarkation from tanker at BAY OF BENGAL

published on 9 November 2021

Hooghly river Marine pilotage is one of the toughest and longest pilotage in the world,
pilots here face many challenges daily to enable safe passage of ships from bay of Bengal to the port of CALCUTTA and Haldia.
Pilot embarkation and disembarkation is a vital part , where the pilot climbs up or down a rope ladder ,if the free board is more than 9 meters then combination ladder is used it needs very good physical fitness practice and experience to safely embark and disembark from these...

1

Video DanPilot's focus on digitalisation: Remote Piloting

published on 9 September 2024

European Maritime Days 2024: About DanPilot's focus on digitalisation and our two innovation projects in remote and drone-assisted pilotage as a supplement to traditional pilotage.

0

Video BEYOND THE FRAME: A Pilot's Purpose

published on 14 May 2025

In this special episode of Beyond the Frame, we take a peek into the career of ship pilots as told through former Maryland pilot and artist Captain Brian Hope's work, Boarding a Liberty ship - 1947.

0

Article Five questions for Esil Abibula, Head of Romanian Pilotage Department

published on 27 July 2023

In our section “Five questions for ..." Marine-Pilots.com introduces pilots and other market players to our readers in short interviews.

Today we have talked to Esil Abibula, Head of Romanian Pilotage Department.

3

Video 20m Pilot Boat "Raan" from Belgium

published on 10 October 2025

Following a pilot at fast speed

0

Article Wärtsilä simulation technology creating an essential testing environment for smart marine solutions

by Wärtsilä Corporation - published on 26 March 2020

The technology group Wärtsilä has delivered a navigation simulator and specific mathematical models to the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) in the city of Rauma, Finland. These will be used as an essential enabler in the Intelligent Shipping Technology Test Laboratory (ISTLAB) project, which aims at creating a technically precise testing environment for remotely controlled, autonomous vessels. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in the 4th quarter of 2019.

0