Opinion Bow Truster Effect on Ship's Headway

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

When the bow thruster has been in operation for a while, pilots often notice that the ship not only turns but also gains speed. But why is this? Opinion by Capt. Hugues Cauvier.

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Opinion A Corrected Version on Positioning of Pivot Point

by Capt. Santosha K. Nayak - published on 18 November 2020

Understanding the fundamentals of the pivot point is highly required for understanding the alteration of the courses. Pivot point is an imaginary point on the vessel which turns on a circular path on the perimeter of vessel’s turning circle when the vessel makes a turn. The knowledge about the position of the pivot point in a manoeuvring situation provides the ship handler with the information on the geometry of motion of the ship.

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Opinion Scientific Fact: The ‘traditional’ understanding of the ship’s pivot point is wrong!

by Tim Cummins, Harbour Pilot, Portsmouth International Port - published on 9 July 2020

In fact, the pivot point that we “see” is a trick of the eye, it looks like the ship is rotating about this point but in fact it is elsewhere, a point that you cannot see.

Related content

Video Bow thruster effect on ship's headway 1

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

What is causing the forward motion of a stopped vessel using continous bow thruster action?
by Capt. H. Cauvier

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Video Hugues Cauvier: Understanding the ship's pivot point (complete video)

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 3 September 2024

This video has been recut and edited by the creator Hugues Cauvier. Previously there were three episodes, which have now been combined into one.

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Video How to Launch a Pilot Boat–Behind the Scenes at Point Hope Shipyard

published on 20 June 2025

Welcome to Point Hope Shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In this video, I follow the float off of the Pacific Navigator, a hardworking pilot boat that serves the Port of Victoria and Ogden Point. We watch as the vessel is pulled along the marine railway, rotated on the turntable, and positioned onto the cradle. Once secured, the cradle lowers to float-off depth, and the Pacific Navigator fires up her engines for a short harbour spin before returning to duty. Some segments,...

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Video Virtual Reality Marine Pilot Transfer Training Demo

published on 4 July 2020

Short demonstration highlighting key features of the VR Marine Pilot training simulation LWA Solutions have delivered for the Ports of Auckland.
Editors Note (4th July 2020):
This video shows the fantastic possibilities of virtual reality technology. Wonderful demo by Ports of Auckland. In respect for doing this amazing experiment. If somebody knows more about this or other interesting similar projects please leave a comment below and help us to complete information about virtual reality...

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Video The difference between Gross Tonnage and Net Tonnage

published on 14 July 2020

Using pictures and sketches, this video finally explains the difference between gross tonnage (GRT) and net tonnage (NRT); the ship spaces that are included/excluded in their calculation; and the importance of these terms to ship owners.
Contents of this video will benefit mariners preparing for exams (written and oral examinations).

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Video Pivot Point Demo - HS Wismar

published on 10 July 2020

SAMMON Lecturing Video describing
"Pivot Point Demonstration"
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SAMMON - the IDEAL tool to identify manoeuvring capabilities of a ship - SAMMON - learning the EFFECTIVE way

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Video Loud & Clear COMM while berthing vessels

by Nasir Khan - published on 25 April 2022

A video by Capt. Pilot Nasir Khan, Pakistan
Why loud and clear communication is very important.

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Article New book: The Situational Awareness & The Port Pilotage Services

published on 8 February 2021

Serkan Kahraman and Yusuf Zorba have published a new book for marine pilots. In this book, maritime pilots and shipmasters’ situational awareness levels have been analyzed using a bridge simulator system and the results have been obtained.

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Article Sea Pilots From 24 Nations at EMPA General Meeting In Antwerp

published on 9 May 2022

Representatives of sea pilots from 24 nations organized in the European Maritime Pilots Association held their general meeting in Antwerp.

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Video Welcome to Driver's Ed...For Supertankers

published on 2 October 2019

It turns out that supertankers and cruise ships have valets. They're called maritime pilots, and they're among the most elite ship handlers in the world. So where does one go to learn how to park the largest ships in the world? To the Maritime Pilots Institute in Covington, La. There, they use mini-versions of the behemoth boats to teach the basics. All aboard!

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