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...
"We want Ports Authorities to Prioritise the Safety of Maritime Pilots"
In this interview, the President of the African Maritime Pilots Association (AMPA), Captain Mohamed Rafouk who is based in Morocco speaks on how maritime pilots in Africa have coped since the outbreak. He also talks of their interactions with Port Authorities and what their expectations are.
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...
New guidance for PBAs with trapdoors. Released 4.11.2020 at NZMPA Conference in Dunedin, NZ. Distinct difference to suggestions in many other countries, is that we challenge operators who have the ladder suspended from the accommodation ladder (gangway) and not secured to the ship. SOLAS states that pilot ladder shall be secured to the ship, and securing strongpoints, shackles and ropes shall be as strong as the sideropes.
Sustainability concerns us all. PTR Holland (c), as a leading manufacturer of pilot and embarking ladders, is committed not only to produce the safest ladders, but also to protect our planet earth through sustainable production. PTR does so by sourcing the timber for the production of the ladders exclusively in accordance with the Federal Stewardship Council (FSC). Look for the FSC logo when buying your ladder. Take responsibility and protect our valuable rainforest! PTR Holland - Often...
Shown here is some footage of a pilot boat that was recently expertly delivered by our driver Declan to A Coruna from Cork. This load was 4.85m high, 24m long and 4.2m wide overall. It takes a great team coordinating from our office to organise the shipping, escorts and permits here in Ireland and Spain in order to make Declan's job a bit easier. It then takes the drivers expert hand to ensure that the load arrives safely and you can be sure in using Whitten Road Haulage that our years of...
