Allen Garfinkle — The Making of a Bay Pilot | 8/7/2019

The article was written by Allen Garfinkle, Executive Director – Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun

The arrival of machine learning and artificial intelligence has taken efficiency to a whole new level. Software platforms can now suggest maintenance routines, recommend spare-part changes, and even predict breakdowns of machinery.

Who knwos Zé Peixe? What makes Zé Peixe a rare species is the way he works: he swims to fetch the ship, while his colleagues use a support boat. And when he takes the ship out of the harbour, instead of returning by boat he jumps into the sea.

Documentary from 2019 by "The Sea Lad"

Text and photos by Tonci Regjo
Pilot for the Split Harbour

They look like toy boats, but they serve a serious purpose. An outsider at this facility near Grenoble, France, may see grown men riding arounda lake in miniature ships. But these are pilots of the world's largest ships, and they're practicing navigation with meticulously engineered 1:25 scale models of real cruisers, tankers, and containerships. Port Revel Shiphandling Training Centre, in operation since 1967, has had more than 6,000 maritime pilots and merchant ship officers from all over...

INTERVIEW ON MARITIME PILOTAGE..OPERATION FILMED WHILST CONDUCTING DOCKING OF OIL TANKER....

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...".

The "Sea Bear", (ex "Narrows") was built in 1959 in Massachusetts for use as a pilot boat in New York. Ed Montgomery, at Sea Service, LLC, bought her and brought her to the Twin Ports in September, 2002.

Recorded presentation by All India Marine Pilots Association (AIMPA) on the topic "Pilot Ladder safety and Pilot Transfer procedures"