Land and Sea: Sea Harbour Pilots

Two decades ago, candidates were selected for TNPA's accelerated training programme in Rotterdam, which aimed to train a new generation of ship pilots, managers and other maritime professionals.

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.

A story I shot on the Delaware river pilots, very cool people who have a very important job. Every cargo ship that has to get anywhere up the Delaware River gets a pilot delivered to it while in the Delaware Bay, who guides it up through the narrow shoals

When I was a deck officer back in the early nineties I worked on a ship that used to load grain at different ports along the Mississippi river. The name of the ship was Golden Hope, a 600 feet long dry bulk carrier with a 95 feet in beam. An average size vessel for those days' standards.

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.

A Florida Harbor Pilot encountering the pilot pilot ladder of a submarine. First harbor pilots must make their way offshore through rough seas to a vessel desiring their expertise to safely enter port. Next harbor pilots must negotiate the dangerous boarding accommodations to embark on vessels of every type. Next, the real work begins by using years of experience and centuries of knowledge passed down through the rigorous training process, to safely guide vessels in and out of Florida's...

An information sheet for marine pilots about novel coronavirus. Published by the Australian Government - Department of Health

SAMMON Introduction into Ships Manoeuvring Prediction
- newly made Video to display the principles of SAMMON

Surely, the new invention also reduced the amount of time and hands (manpower) previously required to perform such a task. Now those idling "extra hands" could dedicate the "extra time" that was made available, to take care of other issues important for the community.

GENOA - Seven years have passed since the tragedy of the Torre Piloti in Genoa. It was almost 11 pm on May 7, 2013 when the vessel "Jolly Nero" impacted against the pilot tower.