Ship piloting in pandemic times in Santa Marta, Colombia

pilot boat general cargo ship seaman captain marine

In early December, just as I was starting to get into ship spotting, I saw a couple of vessels headed up river towards Philly. One of them, the Cielo di Iyo met with the harbor pilot right as I had my drone up. I was able to capture the Pilot coming to meet the vessel and CLIMBING the ladder to get on board just before she passed beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Big thanks to Geraldton Port Authority for allowing Bill and I to go out in one of their pilot boats and board a ship. It was a beautiful day for it.

Pilot going onboard, using pilot ladder port side, 1,5 meters above the water.

Did you know? In Newcastle, marine pilot transfers are carried out mostly by helicopter. Helicopter transfers are used for several reasons including pilot safety and efficiency, and as the largest bulk shipping port on Australia’s East Coast, that’s the name of the game! #PortAuthorityofNSW #marinepilotage #helicopter #newcastle #newcastleharbour #shipping ••• Port Authority of New South Wales manages the navigation, security and operational safety needs of commercial shipping in Sydney...

A bulk carrier was departing port with a pilot on the bridge to assist with the undocking and manoeuvre downriver. The operation was also assisted by two conventionally propelled tugs, one forward and one aft.

The IMPA Safety Campaign will take place from 16th to 30th May 2025. We encourage all maritime pilots to take part, as your contribution is essential to the success of the campaign!

Here’s a nice video of the recent sea trials with ‘South Esk’, a new Interceptor 48 pilot boat for the Montrose Port Authority in Scotland. It was fairly rough during our sea trial days with a fair bit of wind, and although it was touch and go flying the drone, we managed to capture some wonderful video of her and Ederra 7 at the entrance to Cork Harbour in a gale.

In this episode, Sjaak Jan Jiskoot, Senior Project Manager Engineering at Damen Naval, takes us on an insightful journey into the world of Shipbuilding. Whether you're a maritime professional, an aspiring Naval Architect or simply curious about the maritime industry, this video has everything you need to know.