James Whalen 1905 Tugboat Sinks Historic Loss Thunder Bay Ontario

River Mersey Pilot Boat going slowly inbound on the river before turning and heading northbound again.

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.

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).

Efforts to free the giant container ship are continuing after the 400m-long vessel became stuck in the Suez canal. Local authorities attempted to dislodge the 220,000 ton vessel from the banks of the canal using tug boats, but the megaship remains stuck more than one day after it ran aground.

It has been shown that a majority (51%) of pilot ladders is secured by means of D-shackles, when secured at intermediate length. Previous research (Evans, 2020) has proven that this method has only about 50% of the strength of the pilot ladder when secured at full length (“double ended ladder”), or by means of the “endless-sling” method.

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) upcoming amendments to SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 23, represent a significant step forward in enhancing the safety of pilot ladder operations.

Graham Grant, the Port of Cromarty Firth’s Marine Support Manager, has been appointed to the National Council of the UK Harbour Masters’ Association (UKHMA).

The next step for NZMPA is to issue a set of regulator-endorsed guidance notes. The first version will focus on accommodation ladders used in conjunction with pilot ladders.

Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) Port of Ngqura customers can count on experienced piloting services when their vessels are being moved in and out of the port. Ngqura boasts the services of Marine Pilot Ziggy (Siegfried) Duwe (62), who has achieved more than 4,000 ship movements in the last 12 years. He is the first pilot with this accomplishment in Algoa Bay, according to company records.

A day in the life of a PLA Pilot and the team effort it takes to get the job done