Editors note: Great video with a brilliant technique: Move your phone while watching and see the different angles of the full 360 degree view. Amazing!
A big thank you to Kris de Decker.

It has been exactly one year ago that a pilot from Sandy Hook (New York), Dennis Sherwood, died in the line of duty while attempting to board the container vessel Maersk Kensington.
What has happened since then? Has safety been improved for the pilots?

An innovative technique to board a sailing ship without any loss of time.

A court sentenced a captain to a total of 30 months imprisonment: It had been proven beyond doubt that the side ropes had been manipulated to make a ship inspection more difficult or to prevent it.

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...

The good old times: 1940. Found on YouTube. Created by "British Pathé" Titles read: "PILOT AHOY! A PATHETONE SPECIAL" New York, United States of America. Good aerial views of dozens of merchant ships entering New York's harbour. Various shots of life aboard a New York pilot cutter. The pilot is rowed out to a merchant ship, goes aboard and then is picked up again. Apprentice pilots on board a training ship scrub the decks, lower a rowing boat over the side and study charts with a senior...

Since 1978 Lyman-Morse has built more than 110 vessels, ranging from aluminum workboats to high-end composite racing yachts and luxury power yachts. “Their experience with so many different building materials opens up a world of new possibilities for our vessels,” says Baltic Workboats’ CEO Margus Vanaselja.

Bulk carrier COFCO 1 with 41,900 tons of soybean resumed sailing downstream after grounding, which took place on May 25-26, but at around 0630 UTC May 27 she ran aground again, this time in San Pedro area at 269 kilometer mark, Parana river.

Footage showing what the simulators look like and how they can be used to simulate ship movement in various ports.

SevenCs, part of the ChartWorld Group, is pleased to announce the release of our ground-breaking ORCA™ Pilot X software. Originally designed as a primary navigation aid for Pilots, ORCA Pilot X is the industry’s leading tool for professional navigators. In an industry first, ORCA Pilot X is being offered as a free download on the Apple AppStore for iOS tablets.