Humber Marine Pilots by Correspondent Sarah Corker

UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published grounding and recovery of a container feeder vessel and a tug in the approaches to the Humber Estuary in storm force conditions on 15 December 2018.

Departing a 159,000 tonne 274 metre long tanker at the Humber Pilot station

Meet the weather our HM Coastguard Humberside helicopter, RNLI - Humber Lifeboat Station and emergency tugs faced on Saturday when the Thea II grounded. The good news is that she refloated without any pollution reported and has now berthed safely into King George Docks, Hull where she awaits a visit from our MCA surveyors and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch #allsafe

The transfer of pilots to and from seagoing vessels should not rely solely on mutual trust and good intentions.

Throughout the world, mariners rely upon nautical charts to guide their voyages, to assist them in avoiding obstructions, and to note any special ocean conditions when sailing.

Conapra / Praticagem do Brasil have issued a notice “Common Errors in the pilot boarding arrangement “. In this notice, reference is made to international regulations ( Solas V Reg 23, IMO 1045 and ISO 799 ) as well as national regulations.

Thousands of miles across the open ocean can seem like the easy part of a ship's journey. The real challenge begins when a massive vessel reaches the final few dozen miles, where open water gives way to narrow channels, strict traffic controls, powerful tugboats, and enormous locks. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Panama Canal, where ships must be carefully guided through a complex system designed to move them between two oceans. So how can the last few miles of a journey become...

@Captain Ertan Ozgur, Senior Maritime Pilot

The Spring 2022 edition of our magazine The Master, Mate & Pilot is available online.

The pilot at Nagasaki Port fell into the water at around 0530 Tokyo time on 5 May while boarding the cruise ship DIAMOND PRINCESS, which was about to enter Nagasaki.