Pilot

On july 1st, the 327 meters long bulk carrier SHINWA MARU entered Port of Rotterdam with 20,6 meters draft, underway to EECV terminal at the Caland channel, Europoort. Due to her draft she transited the Eurochannel.

The pilot plays a crucial role in the safe navigation of the vessel to her destination. Expert in the local waters, a Pilot is imperative to the Bridge Team. Berthing/un-berthing, anchoring, transiting narrow channels etc. are very specialized operations and require expertise of a very objective manner that results in efficient planning, monitoring and execution of safe passage. When a ship needs to enter or leave a harbor, marine pilots are sent aboard via a small pilot boat to safely...

This is an "only in Astoria" moment we get to see every day.

On August 28, the world's largest container ship completed its first crossing in the Suez Canal. Due to its huge size and this is the first voyage of the ship, it has received extra attention and special treatment from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

Containership CMA CGM BARRACUDA ran aground near Kruiningen on the Western Scheldt just before 01:00 UCT, Friday the 13th. Halfway between Antwerp and Vlissingen, she was sailing downstream en route from Antwerp to Hamburg. Directly after the grounding, multiple tugs gathered around her.
UPDATE: The tugs were able to refloat the vessel around 04:00 UCT. She is currently anchored at Everingen anchorage for hull inspection, just south of Borssele at Westerschelde River.
#westernscheldt...

SevenCs, part of the ChartWorld Group, is pleased to announce the release of our ground-breaking ORCA™ Pilot X software. Originally designed as a primary navigation aid for Pilots, ORCA Pilot X is the industry’s leading tool for professional navigators. In an industry first, ORCA Pilot X is being offered as a free download on the Apple AppStore for iOS tablets.

See how many waves we got today from the ships on the river Haven, Boston.

Boarding a vessel at sea is no simple task. This video provides detailed instructions and demonstrations about safe boarding of vessels.

Efforts to free the giant container ship are continuing after the 400m-long vessel became stuck in the Suez canal. Local authorities attempted to dislodge the 220,000 ton vessel from the banks of the canal using tug boats, but the megaship remains stuck more than one day after it ran aground.