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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Article GPS interference and jamming on the increase

published on 2 October 2020

Ships have reported an increasing number of cases of significant GPS interference and jamming in recent months. The geographic areas with more than one reported incident include the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and multiple Chinese ports.

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Article 1,000 ways to secure a Pilot Ladder

by Arie Palmers, Netherlands - published on 10 January 2020

From that moment on I have been keeping a tally of the non compliant boarding arrangements I see in front of me on a daily base, and off course I participate in the annual safety campaign, conducted by IMPA each october.

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Article Board of commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York

published on 22 December 2021

At the 27 October 2020 meeting, the Board reviewed the SHPA grant request for a pilot ladder climbing training program.

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Article How AIS Works - Operation of AIS

published on 25 July 2019

The term Automatic Identification System (AIS) refers to a radio system that improves the safety and guidance of vessel traffic by exchanging navigation and other vessel data.

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Video Port of Los Angeles: Career RePORT - Port Pilots Edition

published on 8 May 2021

Career RePORT encourages all students and educators to submit questions you want to ask a Port of Los Angeles employee: what kind of job they do at the Port, how they entered their career field, who their favorite superhero is, or what they made for dinner last night. This episode features John Mayer, Port Pilot. In his role, John: - Drives the 400-meter container ships containing goods in and out of the Port every day. - Safely navigates the cruise ships that are transitioning to and...

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Article IMPA Information on Pilot Transfer Operations (May 2024)

published on 13 May 2024

This document aims to provide information to pilot organisations and/or competent pilotage authorities on the conduct of pilot transfer operations.

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Video Dublin Port People - Robbie Cox - Marine Operative on Pilot Boat

published on 29 August 2020

As part of our Port Perspectives series we have captured the perspective of what is like to work in Dublin Port from some key members of our team. This video features Robert Cox, a Marine Operative at Dublin Port Company. Robbie as he is better known provides an insight into his varied role at the Port from operating Pilot Boat Camac, delivering Pilots safely to vessels, to placing fenders at the quay wall no two days are ever the same! Robbie also captures some amazing images of Dublin...

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