Associated Branch Pilots

For 170 years, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have been navigating the world’s largest ships through some of North America’s most difficult waterways. These state and federally-licensed master mariners are highly-specialized ship captains who rely on navigational experience, ship-handling skills, and local knowledge to transport more than $1.2 billion in goods to and from 200 Bay Area ports, docks, and berths every day. This critical service protects more than 1,000 miles of fragile coastline...

Welcome to another exciting episode of A Spotlight to Panama! This week, we dive into the intricate operations of the Panama Canal with Carlos Mata, a Tugboat Captain with the Panama Canal Authority. The Panama Canal is a marvel of global engineering, requiring precise and coordinated efforts to ensure smooth transit for ships from around the world. Tugboats play a critical role in this process, and today, Captain Mata gives us an inside look at what it takes to keep this maritime artery...

For this last publication of the week, "In the shoes of a port pilot", the UMF unveils a video of the president of the pilot station, Jean-Philippe Salducci, who talks about his job, his career, the qualities required and the role of the UMF as a major player in the port of Marseille-Fos.

My name is Porthos Lima and I am the Technical Director of Brazilian Pilots Association. I have been working as a Pilot for 20 years. I am here today to introduce you to our App "No Rumo Certo". The App was inspired in 2017 IMPA SAFETY CAMPAIGN.

Who knwos Zé Peixe? What makes Zé Peixe a rare species is the way he works: he swims to fetch the ship, while his colleagues use a support boat. And when he takes the ship out of the harbour, instead of returning by boat he jumps into the sea.

The pilots make docking mega-ships look easy despite the meteorological disturbance.
Great pictures from Morocco

Jet propulsion and an intergrated rescue system.
The boat is in a really good shape!

Sanmar Shipyards is celebrating completing a record number of vessels within one calendar month, with six tugs and two pilot boats gaining their class certificates during January 2022.

The IMO has adopted groundbreaking amendments to SOLAS Regulation V/23, introducing mandatory performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements.

Take a closer look at our 11.6-meter pilot boat in a stunning red and white color scheme. Designed for performance, safety, and versatility, this vessel is built to handle demanding maritime operations. Watch to explore its key features and see how it can meet your needs !