Offshore Pilot station out of San Francisco

Issues like the Covid 19 crisis and the moves towards increased autonomy appear to be driving a renewed interest in Shore Based Pilotage (SBP), nowadays often called Remote Pilotage.

PILOTTENDER GRODEN (MMSI: 211545300). Build by Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany

In the pre-dawn hours and many other times of the day, local pilots safely guide cruise ships and cargo ships into BVI ports. The pilots provide local knowledge to the ships' captains to ensure safe arrivals and departures. In order to do this, it requires the pilot to climb from one moving vessel to the other. While this maneuver is taking place, the pilot vessel must maintain speed and stay parallel to the ship, allowing the pilot's safe transfer from one vessel to the other. They make...

This video briefly describes the special operation of transfer of marine pilots at sea.

The following article appeared in AIMPA magazine number 2 about the strength and testing of pilot ladders : There is much more information about pilot ladders in the AIMPA magazine, second issue, if you wish to read more you can download a copy at the bottom of this post.

A harbor pilot has the difficult job of bringing ships into port. A candidate for Albay Yacht Club has invited me to document the process. I went with Jud, the harbor pilot.

Pilot Boats can be inspected in Finland. Price: € 590,000 each (new price approx. € 1,300,000 each).
They have been overhauled there and will be sold with a new shipyard guarantee on shipbuilding. IMCA MISW report is available

A U.S. federal pilot shares his experience navigating icy waters on Lake Michigan.

This is an interview with Patrick Wilson, a bar pilot who is a part of the Mobile Bar Pilots in Mobile, Alabama. Chapters/Questions 0:00 - Introduction to Patrick Wilson 0:15 - What does a bar pilot do? 0:57 - What is the career path to becoming a bar pilot? What education and experience did you need? 2:13 - What's the most challenging situation you've handled while guiding a ship? 3:48 - How has new technology like GPS or advanced radar changed your job, and how much do you still rely on...