Marine Pilot (in training)

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

For 174 years, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have been safely navigating the world’s largest ships through some of North America’s most challenging waterways.

Join Sir Boats Yacht as we take you aboard the legendary Gladding-Hearn Chesapeake Class Pilot Boat 🚤—a true workhorse of the seas! In just 7 minutes, we break down everything you need to know about this powerful, durable, and mission-critical vessel. From design to interior, performance to customization, this boat is a perfect example of world-class marine engineering ⚓ Whether you're a maritime professional, boat lover, or just curious about the vessels guiding mega-ships safely to port,...

Manoeuvring large ships at close quarters and on shallow water is one of the most difficult aspects of shiphandling because of the complex hydraulic interactions depending on the ships' speeds, on the water depth and on lateral restrictions like in canals. Training is conducted both on meeting and on overtaking ships in shallow waters. This video shows how overtaking in a canal can easily fail.
More information: http://www.portrevel.com/3781-shiphan...

The following article appeared in AIMPA magazine number 2 about the strength and testing of pilot ladders : There is much more information about pilot ladders in the AIMPA magazine, second issue, if you wish to read more you can download a copy at the bottom of this post.

How Port Expansions Affect Pilot Safety? Wave Study Reveals Key Insights Why This Works: Targets high-search terms (port expansion, pilot safety, LNG terminal, wave study). Uses provocative question + data-driven hook ("Study Reveals"). Mentions tools (ADCP) and key infrastructure (LNG terminal) for technical audiences. ⚓ **How Safe Are Pilots After Port Expansions? Wave Dynamics Study** This research analyzes **wave distribution at a pilot station** using **ADCP and buoy data** to assess...

Researchers have observed an unexpectedly high frequency of towering waves in the German North Sea, particularly near the island of Norderney. These extreme waves pose a significant risk to maritime infrastructure, including ships, offshore wind farms, and research platforms.

Maritime pilots work in an irregular deployment system (rotation system) with unpredictable work assignments under high levels of physical and mental stress. Fatigue or chronic diseases, e.g. coronary heart disease, peptic ulcers or gastritis can occur as a consequence.

All working vessels on the River Mersey gathered in front of the Three Graces – Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. The formation included pilot launch boats, RNLI Lifeboats, river tugs, Mersey Ferries and the Disney Magic cruise liner. They all blew their whistles in tribute to The Sovereign, who passed away last week. River tugs will perform Fleur De Lis – spraying water from their fire cannons. Vessels currently within Liverpool and Wirral dock systems,...

IMPA received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Initiative Award for conducting annually its ‘Pilot Ladder Safety Campaign’ with the objective of reporting pilots’ experiences of ladders and boarding equipment to the IMO and the wider shipping community.