This article was originally published on Baird Maritime (link below)
When a pilot is berthing a ship with the aid of tugs, it sometimes happens that the ship lands heavily and suffers minor damage. More commonly in my experience, it also happens that the crew discover a large dent for which they cannot account ...

To monitor the vessel’s progress, the pilot had set up his portable pilotage unit (PPU). He had connected the rate-of-turn generator to the vessel’s pilot plug and had set a variable range marker on the radar with a radius of 0.5 nm.

Port of London Authority marine Pilot, Ms. Ivana Carrioni-Burnett, provides a personal opinion and insight into her recent experiences in UK waters as a newly qualified Pilot in relation to her interactions with seafarers away from their families, including during the COVID-19 crisis.

Drydocking or undocking is always a difficult task, particularly with a “dead” vessel (no power/propulsion) and the wind blowing on the ship's side.

In this episode, we are joined by Thijs Hoff, a maritime pilot with over 15 years of experience at sea and 4 years as Maritime pilot. Thijs will take us through the 'how' of becoming a maritime pilot, offering a detailed look at the educational pathways, skills, and work-life balance that come with the role.

Contact of Cooperative Spirit Tow with Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge Pier (Mississippi, Lousiana) on March 15, 2020 caused a property damage of $1.65 million est. (barges and lost cargo).

The Port Phillip Sea Pilots launch Torquay off Point Lonsdale.
Ship spotting at Point Lonsdale and other water activities by Wally on Water.

With ships as large as 175 feet wide and a channel a maximum of 500 feet wide, how to you safely pass? Former Houston ship channel pilot, Lou Vest, explains how ships fight against hydrodynamics to pass with such narrow margins.
https://houstonmaritime.org

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

The new 56-ft. Virginia Pilots launch is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D13 700 hp EPA Tier 3 engines matched with IPS-3 steerable pod drives with forward-facing counter-rotating props. The propulsion system includes Volvo Penta’s EVC electronic steering and control system with a three-axis joystick. Top speed is 33+ knots.