Interview with Charlie Sarafian, New Caledonian marine pilot

Comment and photos by Reshma Nilofer Naha
India's first female Marine Pilot (Kalkata Port Trust)

Training sometimes years, the pilots of the world never get enough credit...especially those of the Cape Cod Canal! This ones for you! Compiled from video taken over the past 4 years, this features a unique collection of various types of vessels that go through the canal. Enjoy!

This video gives you full access on board the 1000 foot Great Lakes ship Indiana Harbor of the American Steamship Company as it crosses Lake Superior from the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Two Harbors, Minnesota. It is a complete real experience that shows daily life and work with the crew who operate one of the largest ships on the Great Lakes. We board the ship at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and I show exactly what it is like to step on board and begin the...

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.

Text and photos by Tonci Regjo
Pilot for the Split Harbour

In it´s August 2022 monthly safety scenario, the Swedish Club describes an accident where a pilot had fallen into the water, after one of the side ropes of the ladder broke.

IMO: - Name: KOBE Vessel Type - Generic: Pilot Vessel Vessel Type - Detailed: Pilot Vessel Status: Active MMSI: 431004316 Call Sign: - Flag: Japan [JP] Gross Tonnage: - Summer DWT: - Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 19 x 4 m Year Built: - Home Port: - https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:661819/mmsi:431004316/imo:0/vessel:KOBE

Here’s some cool video footage we captured of the Cork Pilots in their Interceptor 48 pilot boat ‘Failte’ undertaking pilot transfers off Cork Harbour during the recent days of strong SE gales. Roches Point lighthouse recorded 50kts of wind on the 13th as the Cosco bulk carrier passed and the Cork wave buoy 2nm off the harbour entrance recorded waves to 6.7m at the time. The pilot boat coxwain managed to get alongside and safely disembark the pilot despite the challenging sea state....

The Pacific Pilotage Authority says: "There is a common misunderstanding amongst vessel operators that vessels built prior to 2012 are exempt from some of the requirements for pilot transfer arrangements. This is incorrect...".