Queen Mary 2 embarking the Hamburg Pilot

Ship Name: Pilot 4 ENI: 04810620 Client: Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) Operator: Hafenlotsenbrüdergesellschaft Hamburg Shipyard: Schiffswerft Hermann Barthel, Derben Building No. 170 Classification: Germanischer Lloyd Grade: GL + 100 A5 IN (1,2) Z Pilot Boat Length: 17.93 m Width 4.98 m Draught 1.20 m Main engines: 2 MAN Type D 2876 LE 407 Machine output: 2 x 360 kW/1,800 rpm #shipspotting #pilotboat #hamburg

Spotted some Pilot Boats in the Port of Auckland, New Zealand and Melbourne & Fremantle Australia (Port codes: Auckland:NZ AKL ; Melbourne:AU MEL ; Fremantle:AU FRE).

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

Irish boatbuilder Safehaven Marine recently handed over a new pilot boat to the Port of Ferrol in northwestern Spain. Named Punta Do Cruceiro, the vessel was designed for operation even under challenging conditions in the waters in that region of the Atlantic.

Over 90% of the world's trade is carried by sea. Watch and learn how a pilot boards a container ship before entering port.
In this video, a cargo ship bound for Houston, Texas is boarded by a Houston Pilot before entering the Houston Ship Channel.
#maritime #HoustonPilots #houstonshipchannel

This video shows how pilotage is carried out on a merchant ship

This video shows the Pilot Vessel "KOON" inside the Canal Acceso a Puerto La Plata when she arrived at Pilot Station Lanchas Del Este, La Plata Harbour, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
The video was filmed by @ultrabarqueros

This expert article is based on a presentation given by Capt. Pilot Sven Stemmler at the MCN's (Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e. V. ) event ‘On the Future of the Pilot Profession’ at Fraunhofer CML in Hamburg on 9 September 2025.

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