Pilot

By C. Balls, Cayman Registry at the Autonomous Ships online conference 17 June 2020

This movie is an introduction and explains the dynamic and typical motion elements when steering the ship moving ahead or astern. The effect of the position of applied control forces seen in the direction of motion is demonstrated

Vessels are being stranded at ports on the river due to the lack of pilots and the line-up of vessels forced to wait in the anchorage outside the estuary is increasing rapidly. Owners are unclear how long the problem will last

Editors note: A film of a pilot boat has just been published on YouTube with the title "How Dangerous being in a Pilot Boat..." on YouTube. I'm not sure if this really shows a dangerous maneuver, maybe the experts can comment on it here.
But in principle it is problematic to approach the ship in such a small Pilot Boat in the wake from astern and cross the waves there. I remember an accident from Finland in December 2017 where the boat capsized and people died. Is this situation shown here...

Global Marine Design 19m Pilot Boat

DPS, Brunei’s main provider of pilotage and towage services, enters digital era with Innovez One’s AI-powered software that will streamline and optimise services from registration to billing

This my attempt to do just that. This is a summary of all scientific papers and articles that I could find about the ship’s pivot point. I have added links to any videos associated with the publications and have also included any useful diagrams or equations that the authors published to help explain their research.

The Bahamas has imposed a compulsory maritime pilot rule for all vessels, including cruise ships, at its ports since September 2025.

The Navigator - Issue 29 is now available to read for free.
This issue looks at Pilot safety and can be downloaded or read online.

Article with video found: Harbor pilots have one of the most unique jobs in the world, but it can also be one of the most dangerous. They help guide ships into Tampa Bay.