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 Live test: Backpack & Lifejacket?

published on 30 September 2021

When publishing articles or pictures about pilots and their pilot ladders, very often we see the use of backpacks. The use of backpacks is controversial, since its weight, or buoyancy, can influence the functioning of the lifejacket used.

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Video Discussing video: Pilot Transfer to Ship by Helicopter

published on 3 June 2020

Let us see how a maritime pilot is transferred by helicopter to a ship. In this video, we discuss briefly some procedures in a helicopter/ship operation for the transfer of pilots.

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Article Book “Remote Pilotage” by Antti Rinkinen

published on 7 January 2022

Finland's first remote pilotage of a cargo ship will take place at the beginning of 2022. The first remote pilotage permits may be issued in 2025.

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Article Electronic Chart Standards: IHO ECDIS and ENC

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 29 October 2019

Found on YouTube:

Tom Mellor - C​hairman of the IHO Electronic Navigational Chart Working Group (ENC WG) and Head of Digital Standards at the UKHO - explains what the IHO's ECDIS and ENC Standards mean.

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Opinion Beyond Experience: Building the Next Generation of Maritime Pilots

by Maritime Pilot Abolfazl Farajnezam - published on 8 May 2025

Pilot recruitment has traditionally been based on seniority, and extensive sea experience. However, a more modern approach, hiring younger, motivated candidates with structured training, offers an alternative path with compelling advantages.

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Article One more K2m pilot boat for PNG Ports

published on 31 August 2022

The pilot boat will be christened Paga after the Paga Hill which overlooks the Fairfax Harbour where PNG Ports operates from in Port Moresby.

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Article ADNOC L&S Signs 25-year Agreement to Service All Petroleum Ports in Abu Dhabi

published on 30 September 2020

ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S), the shipping and maritime logistics subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), announced today that it has signed a new 25-year agreement to provide critical marine services across all Petroleum Ports in Abu Dhabi on behalf of the Petroleum Ports Authority (PPA). This includes the onshore Jebel Dhanna Ruwais Petroleum Port and the offshore Das Island, Zirku Island and Mubarraz Petroleum Ports in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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