Tuesday, October 1st is the start date of the latest International Maritime Pilot Association's annual Safety Campaign.

Previous campaigns by the association have consistently shown results of pilot ladder deficiencies around the 20% mark.

On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.

Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.

May is Maritime Month at the Port of San Diego and we are proud to highlight some of our hardworking men and women of the Working Waterfront. Meet Captain Lyle Donovan, a San Diego Bay pilot with the San Diego Bay Pilots Association. His work consists of guiding ships in and out of San Diego Bay in a safe and efficient manner. A typical day includes guiding a 650-foot car carrying vessel or a 950-foot cruise ship into San Diego Bay. This entails boarding the vessels by climbing up a ladder,...

Currently, several means of transport are undergoing an accelerated development towards automation and automated movements. This development will also impact future ship handling with tugs. A glimpse into the future of tug boat operation.

Video Showing a long bulk carrier ship Manoeuvring its way through narrow river channel.
Video Credit: Dave Avner

Some ship handlers today use electronic instruments from start to finish and these ships usually have powerful engines and thrusters and an almost unlimited number of personnel on the bridge.

Lately there has been a considerable increase in opinions of seagoing ship´s masters complaining about pilotage services, expressed whether as LinkedIn articles and comments or in some reputable industry magazines.

A maritime pilot tells us about why he loves switching ships in midstream.

Training video II on the correct behaviour in case of man overboard