Land and Sea: Sea Harbour Pilots

Our Pilot Boats play a crucial role in maintaining the daily flow of maritime traffic to and from Belfast Harbour. Working 24/7, 365 days a year, in all kinds of weather conditions, this dedicated team carries out the vital task of bringing the Harbour Pilots out to arriving vessels, where they guide them safely into their berths, as well as disembarking them, often in challenging sea conditions on Belfast Lough.
Kayleigh Ward, our sole female pilot boat crew member, reveals how she gave up...

INTERVIEW ON MARITIME PILOTAGE..OPERATION FILMED WHILST CONDUCTING DOCKING OF OIL TANKER....

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

On this episode of What's Going On With Shipping, Sal Mercogliano - former merchant mariner and maritime historian at Campbell University - we compare and constrast the grounding and salvage of MV Ever Forward (March 13, 2022) with that of MV Ever Given (March 23, 2021).

It remains a sad fact that accidents and near misses continue to occur during pilot transfers with frightening regularity. Most of these fortunately do not result in injury, and a surprisingly high number of them are not even recognised for what they are.

Surveys into pilot ladder safety consistently reveal that unacceptably high numbers of pilot transfer arrangements are not compliant with the regulations.

Here's the full video of recent sea trials with our two pilot boats including storm Ciara, three boats together and some boarding runs. Its quite an interesting little video with some great footage.

The pilots say that Port Tampa Bay leadership is leaning on them to change policies in ways they say would be less safe.