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 Education: Effect of Drift Force and unstable moment

published on 20 June 2024

SAMMON Lecturing Video describing
"Effect of Drift Force and unstable moment"
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SAMMON - the IDEAL tool to identify manoeuvring capabilities of a ship - SAMMON - learning the EFFECTIVE way

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Article Enhancing Pilot Ladder Safety: The Role of New SOLAS Regulations

by Herman Broers - published on 8 January 2025

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) upcoming amendments to SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 23, represent a significant step forward in enhancing the safety of pilot ladder operations.

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Article Education And Training Of Pilots In The Netherlands

by Eline van der Vlist-Lammers (Coordinator education and training for STODEL) and Ed Verbeek (Master Mariner) - published on 30 September 2022

Article originally published in SWZ|Maritime September 2022

Through the years, the Dutch Pilots have developed a system of selection, initial education and continual professional training. What is the current state of affairs?

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Article Shipping Industry Guidance on Pilot Transfer Arrangements, Version 3

published on 13 January 2022

This guidance is intended to remind seafarers and companies of the vital importance of adhering to the rules and established procedures concerning the provision of safe boarding arrangements for pilots.

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Video Geneviève Béchard | The Digital Transformation of Canadian Hydrographic Offices

published on 25 November 2021

Full title: "The Digital Transformation of Canadian Hydrographic Offices, and the Corresponding Contributions to Seabed 2030 and Lakebed 2030"
Presented at the Lakebed 2030 Conference in 2021
Get involved at Lakebed2030.org

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Opinion 1000 cruise ships around… Are their pilot transfer arrangements safe?

by Arie Palmers - published on 8 June 2022

Some words on cruise ships and their compliance with SOLAS ch.V reg 23, IMO A.1045(27)? At the start of 2020 a pandemic we haven’t seen before in hundreds of years has struck the world, putting economies to a halt and had a devastating effect on the beautiful cruise business.

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Video Wärtsilä Pilot PRO

published on 30 August 2019

Transas Pilot PRO is designed to assist pilots in their daily routine, helping them to maintain efficient pilotage and other onboard operations

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