Article Pilot Boarding and Landing – use of Personal Emergency Radio Devices
by Nick Lee, T&TC Chairman, UK Pilots - published on 4 February 2020
Video SeaSafe - Marine pilot falling off a ships ladder with his integrated life jacket coat
published on 4 July 2019
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...
Article Dardanelles: Turkish pilot falls from pilot ladder
by Frank Diegel - published on 8 March 2021
Video Otaru/Sapporo Marine Pilot Disembarkation
published on 6 October 2024
We bid farewell to our Otaru marine pilot just outside Otaru Harbor, Japan. The crew of the pilot tug were particularly fastidious about not marking up the side of the Viking Orion during the operations, spraying the interface with water, even though that might have made the transfer more hazardous for the pilot. From the Viking Orion, October 2024
Article Webinar: Pilot Ladder Arrangements: A Pilot's Perspective on Best Practices (18 Sept. 2023)
published on 29 August 2023
Video Pilot Ladder on Ships- Correct rigging procedure 2020
published on 8 January 2021
Correct method of rigging pilot ladder explained.
As explained, a large number of reports related to the use of pilot ladders which are too long relative to the vessel’s draughts. As a result, the excessively long ladders require shortening up before being deployed for boarding pilots. In these cases, ship crew shortens the pilot ladders, using D-shackles to choke the side ropes at the required height along the ladder’s length. In this method, the D-shackle is first secured to a hard point...
Video Successful overtaking of another ship in a canal - Port Revel Shiphandling
published on 10 May 2020
Manoeuvring large ships at close quarters and on shallow water is one of the most difficult aspects of shiphandling because of the complex hydraulic interactions depending on the ships' speeds, on the water depth and on lateral restrictions like in canals. Training is conducted both on meeting and on overtaking ships in shallow waters. This video shows how overtaking in a canal should be conducted: come in close to the stern and then move away from the bow that will be sucked towards your...
Video Kingston 1 & Kingston 2 - Pilot Boats - Naming & Commissioning 2018
published on 29 August 2020
On Wednesday, January 24, 2018, the #PortAuthorityJa hosted a Naming & Commissioning Service for #Kingston1 and #Kingston2, two new pilot boats for the service of Jamaica. The new boats replace older, undersized and malfunctioning ones, and is part of ongoing meaningful improvements to maritime operations at at our ports island-wide! Here are highlights, courtesy of #WeirzWorldMedia!