The Viking Mars is a brand new cruise ship, built this year (2022). While it is a relatively small ship when it comes to cruise liners, it's still an imposing vessel. It's big enough to enable them to fit a planetarium, fitness center, hair salon, a spa, and the usual shops, restaurants and cabins. We have filmed quite a few vessels coming in and out of Holyhead port now, and the Viking Cruise Line ships are, without doubt, some of the most classy and good looking vessels about. Lovely...

From "Casual Navigation": In this video, we investigate the Pilot Ladder. It is a crucial piece of equipment, used for embarking and disembarking a harbor pilot at sea.(contains advertising)

It is not often that this blog is used to show bad practice, however in this case some pictures tell a whole story. Ship is compliant by design for rigging a combination. How about the operator(s)?

Time for shift change. Captain Henry transferring from Pilot boat Texas City to Pilot boat Texas. Turn the sound up towards the end and hear those twin V12 Cummins sing.

A bulk carrier was departing port with a pilot on the bridge to assist with the undocking and manoeuvre downriver. The operation was also assisted by two conventionally propelled tugs, one forward and one aft.

HMM Algeciras at Yantian (8th May)
See the world’s largest containership (24,000 TEU) departing Yantian with a world record number of TEU’s on board (19,621 TEU). Wishing you ‘fair wind and following seas’ HMM Algeciras, through to Suez (25th May) then beyond to Rotterdam (ETA 3rd June), Hamburg (7th June), Antwerp (11th June) & London Gateway (14th June)

Pilot boat L243

This video has been recut and edited by the creator Hugues Cauvier. Previously there were three episodes, which have now been combined into one.

London Pilots (PLA) have issued an excellent quick reference guide for Pilot Transfer arrangements, which can be used for pilots as well as ship’s crews. Please take not of this document and if you can, try to incorporate it into your procedures.