Pilot Fabio Fontes in action - 04/03/2023

Reflections on his work on the Mississippi River (2014)

Ahmed is an ideas man. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he came up with a way to protect pilots from infection by driving incoming ships remotely, allowing his team to virtually board foreign ships rather than encounter new people in person, which would have put his colleagues at risk.

This episode of What's Going On With Shipping examines the videos showing the Brazilian training ship Cisne Branco striking a bridge in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Comment of Harry Klenner (Presidente de la Asociación Chilena de Prácticos de Puerto): Nowadays, apart from having to take measures to avoid contagion with the Covid-19, port pilots have to consider another factor that has become present on the planet and which, by the way, our country has not been unaware of.

ABP’s Port of Southampton has officially named its brand-new pilot launch, Mayflower.

This paper described some of the characteristics it could offer to be classified as "smart" by reviewing risk management practices and accident statistics using the Finnish port of Rauma.

It remains a sad fact that accidents and near misses continue to occur during pilot transfers with frightening regularity. Most of these fortunately do not result in injury, and a surprisingly high number of them are not even recognised for what they are.

Surveys into pilot ladder safety consistently reveal that unacceptably high numbers of pilot transfer arrangements are not compliant with the regulations.

Future pilotage services in Greenland will become integrated directly into DanPilot in order to adapt to the current, challenging market conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An analysis by Ahmed Sati

This Notice documents the results of the Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Pilot Transfer Arrangements, which was carried out by the Bahamas Maritime Authority Inspectors and vessel staff between 01 July and 31 December 2021.