This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.
The fascinating tale told by Roger Francis about his life at sea and ultimately as a Deep Sea Pilot. The explanation in detail of the terrific responsibilities comes with tales of daring-do, near misses and other peoples' disasters. Roger's personal tale takes him from kiddy to cadet and from 3rd Mate to Master before he became a Deep Sea Pilot guiding shipping on the busiest shipping thoroughfare in the world - the Dover Straits. On top of this, there is love interest and action in war...
Ahmed is an ideas man. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he came up with a way to protect pilots from infection by driving incoming ships remotely, allowing his team to virtually board foreign ships rather than encounter new people in person, which would have put his colleagues at risk.
"This is a Lakes Pilot hopping off the Huron Belle Pilot boat after we've pulled alongside the CSL Assiniboine on the Detroit River just above the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, MI
He walks along the side of the Pilot boat, holding onto the railing and then after the gangway from the ship is lowered into position, he steps up and pulls himself up to then begin walking up the gangway to the deck where he is greeted by the crew.
We then see one of the crew from the Pilot boat tieing up the...
