Bangkok Port - Pilot

I have had the privilege of being at quite a number of meetings, conferences and seminars, sometimes representing The Netherlands, but mostly representing the Netherlands pilots. I have had many discussions about the role of pilots and pilot organisations, which lead me to write an article “What is the added value of pilotage?”, published in the February 2020 issue of Seaways.

APA says: “Pilots share NOAA’s goal of protecting the North Atlantic right whale, but this is the wrong approach.”

Let us start a journey back in time. Back to the black and white films of history. The times have changed, but it is good to know what kind of things have changed and where are the roots of pilotage.

In this paper, a maritime pilots’ risky behaviour related factors questionnaire is designed to identify and quantify the factors of maritime pilots’ risky operational behaviour.

A handy and simple tool to determine in a minimum time what is really needed as tug assistance, is the Bollard Pull Calculator which calculates in an approximate way the total required tug power for ships in various conditions of wind and current. This tool can be loaded as an app on the smart phone.

Following a competitive, international selection process, the Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a contract with British family-run company, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, to build a new pilot vessel.

This video shows an introduction on the Pull-out Test-Manoeuvre and describes the procedure how to steer through this simple manoeuvre: Turning circle and then put the rudder amidships. The final rate of turn allows to identify stable and unstable conditions.

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.

A cargo ship is guided into Port by the Pilot boat on a breezy February morning- Filmed with a Sony RX10 Mk iv
Ship - Fast Sim
Port- Shoreham

This book investigates the science behind each component of manoeuvring a ship in confined waters, especially in port limits and the art to master it. Based on practical observations and analysis of each major and minor aspect of the manoeuvring of different types of vessels in different types of situations, this book put all relevant knowledge together for the reference of all concerned with pilotage and ship handling.