Opinion

Pilotage Wisdom


by Frank Diegel - published on 1 September 2020 -  500 -

Let us remind ourselves every day of the principles of safe seamanship!

Routine, negligence or even inexperience are the breeding ground for every disaster.


Daniel Defoe
was an English narrator and novelist and intervened in political and religious disputes of his time with numerous pamphlets. He later added a "De" to his name, which gave his name an aristocratic sound.

He was - among other things - the author of the well-known book "Robinson Crusoe".

Daniel Foe was born the son of James Foe, a wealthy London tallow merchant and member of the "Worshipful Company of Butchers", and his wife Annie. The year and place of birth are not known with certainty. Various sources mention the years 1659 to 1662 as probable. Fore Street, Parish of St. Giles Cripple, London, is generally regarded as his birthplace.
Editor's note:
Opinion pieces reflect the personal opinion of individual authors. They do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about a prevailing opinion in the respective editorial department. Opinion pieces might be deliberately formulated in a pronounced or even explicit tone and may contain biased arguments. They might be intended to polarise and stimulate discussion. In this, they deliberately differ from the factual articles you typically find on this platform, written to present facts and opinions in as balanced a manner as possible.
Maritime software and hardware development, digitalisation
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video How not to climb down a Pilot Ladder

published on 1 July 2020

The video was found on some social media channels in June 2020. When so many elementary mistakes are made and so many risks are taken, this is exactly what can happen! It's a demonstrative example of an unprofessional action: 1) Where is the life jacket? 2) No backpack on the shoulders. Use a rope to have the backpack lifted by the deck crew. 3) Where is the rest of the crew (on vessel / on the small boat) for safe assistance? What other mistakes have you discovered? We do not put videos...

0

Video Aberdeen Harbour Board - Pilot

published on 7 February 2020

It takes all sorts of roles to ensure safe and successful operations at Aberdeen Harbour. Meet Finn, a Marine Pilot, and find out why he enjoys working at the port.

0

Video How Harbor Pilots Dock Massive Cargo Ships (Full Process)

published on 6 May 2024

In this video we follow along with Capt. Dane of the Palm Beach Harbor Pilots Association on a windy Saturday morning as he brings in a massive bulk carrier cargo ship into the Port of Palm Beach. This vessel which has a draft of 27 ft, and a beam of 99 ft is the maximum allowable size vessel allowed to transit into the port due to the shoaling going on that forces all vessel to have a maximum operating draft of 29 ft. No room for error. Also featured in this video is a regular cargo vessel...

0

Video A Day in the Life: Pilot Crew | Marine Operations at Port of Cromarty Firth

published on 12 August 2026

Join the pilot crew on the water for a behind-the-scenes look at marine operations at Port of Cromarty Firth.
From early starts on the Firth to working alongside visiting vessels, the pilot crew play a key role in supporting safe marine movements in and out of the Port. This video captures the skill, experience and coordination involved in helping vessels arrive, depart and operate safely within the Cromarty Firth.
With deep, sheltered waters and a busy mix of cruise, energy and commercial...

2

Article Danish Butter Cookies...

by Marine Pilot Luis Vale, Portugal - published on 17 July 2019

Why “Danish Butter Cookies” are a part of the standard navigational equipment…

0

Video Wind pure drift encounter - practical experiments for getting useful data

published on 8 July 2022

How to get information for wind & current limits to be potentially encountered by thrusters – or current? - this will be described in this movie:
- Measure Drift speed, due to beam wind with no propulsion;
- Measure drift speed using full thrusters
- Estimate wind & current limits to be potentially encountered by thrusters – or current...
- Finally there is a simple formula as Rule of Thumb: the transverse drift speed is about 7-8% of wind speed!

0

Article Pilots and VTS operators working together to improve maritime safety

published on 2 February 2022

The Norwegian Coastal Administration has signed an agreement with Aboa Mare to provide a new
course for pilots and VTS operators. By practising together in a simulator, maritime safety along the
Norwegian coast will be reinforced.

0

Article Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage

published on 1 September 2021

The scope of this report covers a twenty-year period between 1999 and 2019 in which there were 1,046 such recorded incidents and where each incident gave rise to P&I liabilities in excess of US$100,000.

0

Video Cargo ship ONE Apus loses more than 1,800 containers in Pacific storm

published on 11 December 2020

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.

0

Article Maryland bans cellphone use by maritime pilots

published on 9 January 2023

The Maryland Board of Pilots has decided to enact a rule change that forbids on-duty pilots from using their phones.

0