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).

#MaidenVoyage #HMMalgeciras #HMM
The maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #12-London
London Landing: The HMM Algeciras, the world's largest containership as 24,000TEU, arrives alongside at the London Gateway port for its last European call before departing back to Asia.

U.S. Coastgard has published an update of their Recommendation for Pilot Transfer Arrangements in latest Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB).

"Recent deaths of maritime pilots while embarking commercial vessels highlight the risks of operating in an
unforgiving maritime environment. To ensure the safety of all personnel boarding a vessel at sea, the Coast
Guard reminds vessel owners and operators of the requirements contained in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter V, Regulation 23 and strongly recommends that owners and operators follow the recommendations within IMO Resolution A.1045(27) – Pilot Transfer Arrangements. "

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

One of the biggest ships in the world, 23,000+ TEU container ship MSC MIA, reportedly contacted gantry crane while leaving container terminal at Valencia.

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).

South Australian port operator Flinders Ports (FP) has entered into an agreement to purchase three new pilot vessels over the next three years from Melbourne-based boatbuilder Hart Marine.

SAMMON Lecturing Video describing
"Effect of Drift Force and unstable moment"
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SAMMON - the IDEAL tool to identify manoeuvring capabilities of a ship - SAMMON - learning the EFFECTIVE way