Marine Pilot

The British Ports Association has launched a new initiative looking at the implications of autonomous shipping for UK ports, including a call for evidence from interested parties. Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) involves the automation of vessel and onboard processes which could alter how ports and ships interface with each other. The BPA which represents the majority of UK port activity including 85% of the shipping movements in and out of the country, is keen to explore what the future developments of shipping will mean for the sector.

Join us out in the North Sea as we take on another challenging day aboard the pilot boat, transferring pilots to and from massive ships in choppy seas. 🌊 Watch as we battle the swell and spray, timing every approach perfectly to safely board and disembark pilots onto moving vessels in tough conditions. From cargo ships to car carriers, this video gives you a front-row seat to life at sea — where precision, teamwork, and nerves of steel are essential. 📍 Filmed off the North East Coast of...

As part of a good Master-Pilot exchange (MPX) the passage plan and berthing plan is discussed with the bridge team.

Breaux’s Bay Craft, Loreauville, La., delivered the new 90’x23’x12’4″ aluminum pilot boat Spindletop to the Sabine Pilots on March 6. The Sabine Pilots, Port Arthur, Texas, serve the Texas ports of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. “This is the biggest pilot boat built in the U.S.,” said Roy Breaux, the shipyard’s owner. “There are bigger ones in other parts of the world, but this is the largest in the U.S.”

The “DangerousLadder” page on facebook is nowadays a very well known community in the maritime world. It is steadily growing towards 3000 members, which will be the next milestone membership-wise.

This is an in-depth discussion of the risks involved in maritime pilot transfers; an interesting job but with a risky commute to work.

An entire day caught in a time lapse. Up and down the river twice.
Cool prospective 12000 TEU ship Turing min 2:00. !

HYBRID FUTURE SHIP ECO ITALIA. Time-Lapse. Gopro Max. SENIOR PILOT CAPTAIN Eyup Zafer performing departure maneuvering of Grimaldi Co Ship HYBRID RoRo ECO ITALIA. 2 TUGBOATS @captertanozgur PORT OF YILPORT - GEMLIK

Chapter 3 from the book "Crossing the Bar, The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot" by Captain Paul Lobo, available on Amazon (link below)

I have had the privilege of being at quite a number of meetings, conferences and seminars, sometimes representing The Netherlands, but mostly representing the Netherlands pilots. I have had many discussions about the role of pilots and pilot organisations, which lead me to write an article “What is the added value of pilotage?”, published in the February 2020 issue of Seaways.