The High-Stakes World of San Francisco’s Bar Pilots: A Virtual Reality Experience

Video showing marine pilot navigating a cargo ship from Plan du Port

This is a video designed to educate people about pilots and their work. It consists of an animated version and a live action version.

Video by Maksym Kunchev. Thank you!

Going down the accommodation ladder with neither lifevest nor safety line must have been based on similar, past, successful operations, which may have never been challenged on board. This ‘slippage’ in safety is a pernicious and common phenomenon.

Cadets get a wide variety of experiences at Great Lakes Maritime Academy. Glad this was captured to show the viewer what it is like boarding a vessel from a pilot boat.

Pilot launch Griffiths onboard and off Point Lonsdale, Victoria, Australia.
Ship spotting at Point Lonsdale and other water activities by Wally on Water.

It is not often that this blog is used to show bad practice, however in this case some pictures tell a whole story. Ship is compliant by design for rigging a combination. How about the operator(s)?

The Japanese-flagged container ship ONE Apus has lost 1,816 cargo carriers after it was caught up in a violent storm in the Pacific on November 30, 2020. The vessel arrived December 8 in the Japanese port of Kobe, where shipowners and managers said a full safety inspection would be carried out. The incident is described as the second biggest cargo loss in shipping history.

When falling from the ladder onto the deck of the Pilot Boat, the well-known Indian pilot obviously suffered some injuries.

Pilotage is being able to navigate safely into and out of a harbour/anchorage/port knowing where you are at all times, where your hazards are and a safe route in/out. This is particularly useful if you are heading into somewhere new or a challenging/busy area – or both!