Harbor Pilots - They park big ships. This is how.

ABP Southampton: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that some ships have a pilot transfer arrangement consisting of an accommodation ladder / pilot ladder combination with a trapdoor that does not meet IMO standards in effect since at least 2012.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission of New Zealand (TAIC) has released its report on the incident involving the grounding of a foreign-flagged cargo vessel at Bluff Harbour on November 28, 2018.

The Bahamas has imposed a compulsory maritime pilot rule for all vessels, including cruise ships, at its ports since September 2025.

Movement to Universal Terminal Jetty 7, bridge view with Pilot Onboard

In the last couple of years several paid as well as free tools have made it easier than ever to access vessels on a map. Although vessels shown on a map have their place, authorities and industry are understanding the greater potential and value of the underlying AIS data.

This what a normal work day looks like for a port pilot.
A 24 hour shift shown in 11 minutes.
Recorded in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Video recording of the Maritime Single Window 2024 Window of opportunities Webinar which took place on 24 October and highlighted the benefits and opportunities for maritime trade arising from the application of the maritime single window (MSW) to electronic ship clearance processes in ports.

First-ever live sea trial to test IHO S-100 product specification, support safety case for S-102 and contribute to the development process of S-100 data standards