Pilotage in a strong current

Harbor Pilot Nasir Khan from Pakistan has sent his own checklist to Marine-Pilots.com - we share this list for our readers and look forward to an interesting discussion.

The pilot plays a crucial role in the safe navigation of the vessel to her destination. Expert in the local waters, a Pilot is imperative to the Bridge Team. Berthing/un-berthing, anchoring, transiting narrow channels etc. are very specialized operations and require expertise of a very objective manner that results in efficient planning, monitoring and execution of safe passage. When a ship needs to enter or leave a harbor, marine pilots are sent aboard via a small pilot boat to safely...

Pilot-Guard is a global pilot safety network that enables the real-time exchange of safety-related information between organisations around the globe on non-compliant pilot transfer arrangements (nc-pta) of vessels.

pilot ship sea boat maritime waves merchantnavy offshore loodswezen
A dutch maritme pilot is boarding a ship to set course in to the Port of Rotterdam.
We are operating 24/7 - 365 days a year to make sure that the ships get in to and out off the port safely.

Pilot disembarkation from ship (kakinada)
Editors note:
The shown protections are very massive in our opinion.
What does our community think about?

Stanchions therefore are an often-overlooked part of a pilot transfer arrangement and therefore I
want to give them more attention in this article. They proved to be the cause of a whole series of accidents, some of which were even fatal.

Shipbuilder Metal Shark is building a welded aluminum 55’ x 17’ pilot boat for the Pascagoula Bar Pilots Association in Mississippi.

Designed in-house, the new 55 Defiant Pilot being built for Pascagoula Pilots represents the latest evolution in Metal Shark’s pilot boat lineup. The distinctive vessel incorporates the“faceted hull” design initially developed by Metal Shark for the US Navy 40 PB program, and features an enhanced version of Metal Shark’s signature “pillarless glass” in a two-tiered, reverse-raked arrangement.

Pilot boats in action. The key elements for a safe pilot transfer.