Article

New thinking bolsters marine pilot team in New Zealand


by Port Taranaki Duty Pilot - published on 3 September 2024 1877 -

Article by Port Taranaki, NZ. Photo: Port Taranaki marine pilots Daniel Satherley, left, Guy Mexted, and Jeff Handcock. The team also includes senior pilot Adam Eager and relief senior pilot Neill MacKean.

An innovative approach to marine pilotage recruitment and training has increased the breadth of skills and knowledge in our marine team and set us up for the long term.

With an ageing pilot team, and following significant labour pressures through the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a new pilot training programme that looked beyond the regular practice of recruiting seafarers who wished to come ashore after a long career at sea.

The programme considered the competency we required, included guidance around the minimum number of ships a prospective pilot was required to undertake before becoming qualified, and increased the quantity of intensive simulation training.

With support from the Port Taranaki harbourmaster and the Executive Leadership Team, and driven by senior pilot Neill MacKean, the new training programme was developed and approved by Maritime New Zealand.

A key focus of the programme was looking to the navy for a new source of younger yet experienced and well-rounded former captains, who were keen to utilise their skills at a commercial port.

Although former navy staff have become pilots at other ports, they have typically been required to train at maritime school and return to sea for a period of time before becoming a marine pilot. Our programme took into consideration their previous naval training, and their experience and skills, and we have been thrilled with the results.

We have trained and qualified three ex-navy captains (one of whom has since moved on), and an ex-dredge master, all of whom achieved their qualifications well within the usual 12-month time frame, highlighting their aptitude and capability.

“With an ex-seafarer also on the team, we have a good mix of skills and experience, which is important as we move forward,” says Port Taranaki marine manager Ben Martin, himself a former navy captain.

“This is a dredging port, so having an ex-dredge master onboard helps us select dredging methodologies and provides us with good practical dredging operational experience.

“Likewise, the quality of training, and leadership and management experience in the navy is very high, so the navy guys have helped us with our planning, coordination and whole team communicating.

“Overall, we now have a combined pilot and marine services team that comprises a great mix of master mariners and navy captains to complement and balance our services offering.”

The multi-talented team and the lower average age of the pilot team, sets us up as we diversify our marine services offering and as we prepare for future changes in trade through our port.

Photo: Port Taranaki marine pilots Daniel Satherley, left, Guy Mexted, and Jeff Handcock. The team also includes senior pilot Adam Eager and relief senior pilot Neill MacKean.

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
René Hartung Lotsenbrüderschaft NOK II Kiel / Lübeck / Flensburg, Germany
on 4 September 2024, 03:42 UTC

Familiar problem: ageing pilot stuff and no new recruitments, because requirements cannot be met - we had to change the way of educating pilots and the requirements to enter the programme drastically.
Looking at the navy is a good way to start
0

Read more...

Article The conditions for recruiting pilots for the Le Havre station are changing.

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 1 January 2020

The three main french pilotage stations in the Channel - North Sea have changed their recruitment conditions for taking a pilotage examination.

0

Article Cargo ship RIMINI collided with lock gate, Kiel Canal

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 19 May 2020

The ship could not slow down and sailed against the Old North Lock - “Alte Schleuse Nord”.

0

Video Belfast Harbour adds new Pilot Boat to Marine Fleet

published on 16 April 2024

The Hibernia joins the Belfast Harbour operational marine fleet.

1

Opinion Comment of Harry Klenner: Harbour pilots and climate change

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 16 June 2020

Comment of Harry Klenner (Presidente de la Asociación Chilena de Prácticos de Puerto): Nowadays, apart from having to take measures to avoid contagion with the Covid-19, port pilots have to consider another factor that has become present on the planet and which, by the way, our country has not been unaware of.

0

Article TRENZ Introduces SIRIUS+: The Next Generation PPU with Enhanced Performance

by TRENZ GmbH - published on 15 May 2025

TRENZ, a leading manufacturer from Germany, is expanding its product lineup with the launch of SIRIUS+, a high-performance Portable Pilot Unit (PPU). As an evolution of the widely recognized SIRIUS model, the new device features cutting-edge technology designed for maximum precision and reliability, particularly for use on Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs).

1

Article Australian pilot receives IMO commendation for exceptional bravery at sea

published on 17 September 2021

In December 2020, Australian Pilot Captain Ritesh Bhamaria was expertly piloting oil tanker MT Godam through the Torres Strait in adverse weather conditions when he and the vessel crew sighted a distant hand waving for help in the rough sea.

2

Article NTSB Investigation: Towing vessel pilot never reported hitting bridge in Louisiana

published on 13 March 2023

The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the contact of the Miss Mollye D tow with the Route 182 bridge was a loss of control of the tow by the pilot at the helm of the towing vessel, likely due to impairment by factors such as fatigue or drug use.

0

Opinion Pilots are not Advisors to Masters

by Karolina Cirjak, Consultant Master Mariner at KC Maritime Consultancy Ltd. - published on 30 November 2024

This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.

7

Video Laju Pilot Boat , Amamapare Timika

published on 14 August 2020

kali ini kita belum mancing, namun di video kali ini kita akan berbagai pengalaman, bagaimana laju PILOT BOAT melaju di Port AMAMAPARE .
pada dasarya, Pilot boat yaitu di fungsikan untuk melayani PILOT atau Pandu....meski demikian Alhamdulillah, kali ini kita di berikan kesempatan untuk menaikinya,,,,MANTAP

0

Video Breakaway and grounding of CSC Friendship (Port of Brisbane)

published on 13 September 2024

The breakaway and subsequent grounding of oil products tanker CSC Friendship in the Port of Brisbane highlights that port infrastructure and associated shipping can be exposed to dynamic hazards, which includes the inherent uncertainty of extreme weather forecasts.

0