IMPA is hosting examples of best practice and protocols during Covid-19 times

The United Kingdom Maritime Pilots' Association (UKMPA) has all been inundated with CV19 communications from all manner of sources in the last few weeks. Here is a condensed collection of information from the UKMPA.

On Monday, March 23, 2020, Admiral Osama Rabie announced the successful transit of the Italian passenger ship COSTA DIADEMA in the northbound convoy through the new Suez Canal, coming from the United Arab Emirates heading to Italy. Special measures were applied, as 65 Coronavirus cases were reported on board which required piloting the vessel remotely through pilotage team boarded on two escorting tugs in full coordination with the transit control offices and navigation monitoring stations in a first of its kind scenario in the history of the Suez Canal.

Fewer vessels in voyage mean less pilotage and this means less income for many Pilots. Not every Pilot is an employee and many pilots are self-employed and organised in a brotherhood per example. They are earning only money if they are piloting a vessel. No vessel – no money.

This expert article is based on a presentation given by Capt. Pilot Sven Stemmler at the MCN's (Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e. V. ) event ‘On the Future of the Pilot Profession’ at Fraunhofer CML in Hamburg on 9 September 2025.

Time-lapse of a nearly 1000 foot Container Ship arriving and docking in Antwerp, Belgium. This is one of the longer pilotages on this ship's current route and typically takes around 5 hours or more including a pilot changeover.
Filmed using the GoPro Hero 8 Black.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free...
#ships #maritime #antwerp

Commencement of the Open Testing phase for Pilot-Guard.org, a platform designed to enhance the safety of maritime pilots through effective deficiency reporting and data exchange.

The Dutch coaster Mv. Stroombank is leaving the port of Figueira da Foz in Portugal. Normally operations are restricted to daylight only, but because bad weather was forecasted for the days to come we've received an exemption and were allowed to depart during dark hours. Cargo operations were running close to the departure deadline so we quickly secured the cargo and prepared the vessel for sea. The tide was running out so we used the forward spring to keep position as we went slow astern...

Many of you saw the last video and we were traveling South through the canal, but this video is from our Northbound transit.
Enjoy the footage and soon I hope to be back to work again. Waiting for the results of my physical exams to clear.

Container ship TIGER MAANSHAN contacted berthed container ship (unidentified) and struck gantry crane while mooring at Hai An Port, Hai Phong, Vietnam, on Aug 10. Both ships sustained slight damages, understood container ship contacted by TIGER MAANSHAN left port on schedule. Gantry crane of German production, installed in 2012, is said to sustain serious damages. As of Aug 19, TIGER MAANSHAN was still berthed at Hai An Port.
Container ship TIGER MAANSHAN, IMO 9913559, dwt 26177, built 2022,...

To boost efficiency of Yantian ship arrivals. The amendments represents the first time pilots from Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been allowed to navigate in the other’s respective waters, eliminating the need for a mid-ocean transfer of personnel.