Port Colborne Pilot Boat Operations, Nov, 2022

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).

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.

The chairman of the Suez Canal Authority has suggested a possible mistake by the captain of the Ever Given could have led to the grounding of the giant container ship in the waterway last month.

OPERATIONAL NOTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by UKMPA, February 2017
The introduction of modern lightweight Portable Pilot Units (PPU) for use during pilotage has proved to be another major advance for pilotage operations worldwide.

Giant Container Ship EVER GIVEN grounded and blocked Suez canal AIS data shows the MV Ever Given is stuck sideways within the canal, preventing ships from passing in either direction,Several tugs have been on scene for several hours working to dislodge the ship ,An ultra-large containership is aground and blocking ship traffic in the Suez Canal

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This video explores the question of why ships are so difficult to manoeuvre in reverse.

The individual pilot operates as part of a pilotage organisation. And, as with so many things, the whole is (much) more than the sum of the parts ...