Video

Port of Stockton: River Pilots

published on 17 December 2019 - 243 -

Show comment section |

The San Francisco Bar Pilots are one of the important cogs in our supply chain wheel. They are tasked with boarding the vessels eleven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge via a rope ladder often in rough seas and taking control of the vessels en route to the Port of Stockton. Once on the bridge of the ship, the Pilot oversees navigation and ensures the safe passage of ships into the Bay and through the Delta until it is secured alongside its berth at the Port. Without these Pilots the Port could not perform its mission to provide jobs and economic stability for the region. Within the larger San Francisco Bar Pilots Association there is a smaller subdivision that is approved to take vessels all the way to the Port of Stockton. They are called the River Pilots and this is their story…

San Francisco, Port Stockton

San Francisco Bar Pilots

Experiences

What's your opinion on this?

Opinion What is the added value of pilotage?

by Ed Verbeek Nautical Consultancy and Training - published on 7 December 2020

The individual pilot operates as part of a pilotage organisation. And, as with so many things, the whole is (much) more than the sum of the parts ...

Video Maritime Voices: Clint Winegar, Presiding Officer, Houston Pilots

published on 10 October 2025

Clint Winegar, Presiding Officer, Houston Pilots, discusses the organization in the round, explaining how the Houston operation remains one of three in the country that still utilizes station boat.

Video Northwest passage

published on 4 July 2019

Northwest passage

Video Pilot on Board Documentary Movie

published on 23 February 2023

Pilot on Board - Documentary Movie ⚓️ The documentary Pilot on Board shows us the highly responsible work of Finnish pilots and pilot boat operators, through all seasons, in different circumstances, ships and ports. In spring we go onboard in Örregrund, Kotka, to guide the cargo ship M/S Arabian Breeze to port. In summer we see how the 290 metres long cruise ship M/S Emerald Princess is piloted from Harmaja to the West Harbour in Helsinki. The pilotage of a Dutch ship in Lake Saimaa was...

Article Pilots and ship´s Captains

by Marine Pilot Luis Vale, Portugal - published on 23 August 2019

Lately there has been a considerable increase in opinions of seagoing ship´s masters complaining about pilotage services, expressed whether as LinkedIn articles and comments or in some reputable industry magazines.

Article Pilot boat captain helps save fisherman

by Canaveral Pilots Association - published on 31 May 2020

The Canaveral Pilots Association commends Pilot Boat Captain Mike Meyers for his heroic actions on April 5, 2020 in helping to save the life of a fisherman while on duty at the port.

Opinion A few words about pilot safety and Merry Christmas

by Frank Diegel - published on 23 December 2021

My personal impression is that a lot has changed in terms of safety in the last two years. Non-compliance with current legislation that directly affects the safety of pilots is now no longer tolerated by many stakeholders. Something is happening. And that is a good thing.

Video Pilot boats in rough seas during Storm Ciara

published on 20 April 2020

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.