Apprentice Marine Pilots

Pilot boat launch in Youghal on July 2012.

In this episode we have a chance to meet Ivana-Maria Carrioni-Burnett, a Marine Pilot from the UK who works on the River Thames. Ivana highlights the concerns and fear that can be felt by those working in the maritime industry during COVID19. On the vessel, the seafarers are in their own isolation, or 'families' and then the pilot and other port personnel come onboard and they may be asymptomatic. For the port personnel, they aren't sure if the crew might be infected. Then there are the...

Accident today: Not much is currently known but some details are avialable on the number of personnel on board and the operation and condistion of the vessel. A video by Sal Mercogliano.

Maritime pilots board ships when waters are crowded or treacherous or when a passage is narrow to guide the captain and ship safely through the waters. The Cat operates between Bar Harbor, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Study from 2015: Psychological stressors, in addition to the physical demands associated with the role (e.g., reduced sleep, boarding, and departing vessels), may over time have a damaging effect on pilots' physical and mental health.

The following short clip appeared on TikTok recently, showing a non compliant trapdoor arrangement, and a pilot using it. From this short video, the dangers of this kind of arrangement are very clear.

Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.

The average harbor pilot at the Port of Los Angeles makes $434,000 a year, but also faces a one in 20 chance of dying on the job, according to a book from The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims that was published in 2021.

A ship may berth port or starboard side on or bow or stem on. The term “berth” refers to the quay, or wharf, or, pier or jetty where the ship comes alongside, but it may also mean a place in which a vessel is moored or anchored.