Video Pilot Boat "Petrel" (River Mersey)
published on 16 December 2021
Video Robust pilot boats of Netherlands and Belgium
published on 7 August 2020
These are some of the reliable sturdy Pilot boats of Netherlands and Belgium to bring and pick up Marine Pilots to and from commercial merchant vessels either inbound or outbound. The Marine Pilots are licensed PROFESSIONALS who have a thorough knowledge of a certain port and they guide the Master/Captain of commercial ships in and out of the foreign Seaport. Location: Steenbank Pilot Station, Flushing/Vlissingen Pilot Station, Wandelaar Pilot Station. Boats in order of appearance in this...
Video Riding with the Savannah Pilots
published on 25 October 2020
Over the course of 4 days this August, I was afforded the opportunity and privilege of riding with the Savannah Bar Pilots for an article I was writing for a major maritime magazine. The pilots are given the responsibility of boarding a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean and safely navigating the vessel up the Tybee Road 9 (a name for the shipping lane that leads into the Savannah River), into the Savannah River, and into the Port of Savannah. The same is done in reverse when a ship is outbound...
Video Look at Life - Pilot Aboard 1963
published on 17 December 2019
Video How to Launch a Pilot Boat–Behind the Scenes at Point Hope Shipyard
published on 20 June 2025
Welcome to Point Hope Shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In this video, I follow the float off of the Pacific Navigator, a hardworking pilot boat that serves the Port of Victoria and Ogden Point. We watch as the vessel is pulled along the marine railway, rotated on the turntable, and positioned onto the cradle. Once secured, the cradle lowers to float-off depth, and the Pacific Navigator fires up her engines for a short harbour spin before returning to duty. Some segments,...
Video Should the Captain go down with the sinking ship?
published on 9 November 2020
1:19 What is the history? 2:14 If we fast forward to the modern era, what has changed? 3:00 How have things impacted the modern Captain? 3:33 What are the typical laws on the subject in some countries? 4:05 How is it different from other leadership positions? 5:34 What needs to change? Blog - https://www.melvinmathews.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melvin-mathews/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/melvinsmathews Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/melvin.mathews.37 Instagram - https:...
Video #InternationalWomensDay: Female Harbour Pilot
published on 12 March 2020
Women’s rights and gender equality are taking centre stage in 2020. But for some women, the fear of gender discrimination has never stopped them from pursuing their dream and Ms Amelia Pickering, a Harbour Pilot, is one of them.
Inspired by her father, she shares how she started her journey in the Maritime industry and some of the challenges she faced being a female Harbour Pilot.
Opinion Interrupting the Error Chain - The importance of SOPs in piloting
by Captain Reginaldo Pantoja AFNI - published on 26 September 2020
Article Gladding-Hearn Delivers New Launch to Virginia Pilots
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 15 June 2020
The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a Chesapeake Class MK II launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, its ninth pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1983.
Since the Chesapeake Class pilot boat was introduced by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2003, 22 boats have been delivered to 11 pilot associations throughout the United States.
Video Refusing to board due to a pilot ladder not rigged correctly
published on 20 June 2025
This lady came into port in an excellent day, however when I inspected the pilot ladder prior to board I saw that it was rigged using D-Shackles fastened between the side ropes, transferring all the weight and load of the ladder to the clamps and chokes. Truly an unsuitable method of securing the ladder. Retrieval line was also not above the first spreader
After pulling out the pilot boat, the ship was contacted by VHF and the captain was asked to instruct the crew in the usage of ropes and...