Kingston 1 & Kingston 2 - Pilot Boats - Naming & Commissioning 2018

Pilotage is compulsory in all Jamaican ports and is a necessity for the safe passage and docking of ships entering and leaving the harbours. No ship or vessel can enter our Ports without the #PortAuthorityJa’s pilotage services. #MarinePilots, being the experts in local conditions, are required to assist in the navigation and manoeuvring of vessels in our channels and port areas and are dispatched to all ports in Jamaica on a 24 hour basis. Our #PilotBoatCrew ensures that Marine Pilots are...

Good insight into the work of the pilots in Jamaica.

This is a video of the cruise ship pilot boat that picks up the pilot once he has navigated the ship out of the port. This is a requirement of all cruise ships coming into and leaving out of ports. We also noticed them at the Bahamas. I was able to capture this one on my last cruise leaving out of Port Canaveral... watch as the pilot jumps from the cruise ship to the pilot boat while both are moving! :)

The Alusafe 1620 Pilot is a special designed Pilot Vessel. The vessel is designed for harsh weather in open seas as well as in sheltered waters with high marine traffic.

This is the Ben Madigan pilot boat, one of the hard working fleet of Belfast Harbout pilot boats. ( I'm not sure but I believe this might be a Redbay Stormforce, built by Redbay boat builders at Cushendll. )
These fast, sturdy, boats have to ferry Belfast pilots out to large vessels coming in to Belfast harbour. Piloted vessels range from large tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, ferries and cruise liners, right down to barges and fishing boats. Not only this, Belfast Harbour pilots...

Pilot boat alongside a merchant cargo vessel, a big bulk carrier at canakkale strait, turkey

Good news for pilot safety: As one of the leading shipping companies, MAERSK is now targeting the notorious "trapdoor arrangements". A corresponding notification to all the company's ships concerned was made public in the last few days.

The Indian Register of Shipping has published a Technical Circular on pilot boarding arrangements this week. Here you can download and read the document.