On the 23rd of March 2021 the VLCC Ever Given grounded in the Suez Canal. A strong southerly wind (between 6 and 7 BFT) plus so-called bank shear caused steering issues. This a combined 2D and 3D reconstruction of the incident based on recorded AIS data.

Baird maritime awards: Southerly Designs & Dongara Marine

By the end of this year, our sea pilots are set to have undertaken a record number of pilotage acts. The total number is set to exceed 10,700, with almost 99% of the acts completed without delay.

There were some astonishing pictures in the press some weeks ago of a Royal Marine employing a jetpack to launch himself from a RIB to land on the deck of a ship with extraordinary precision. You cannot imagine that it would be a feasible proposition to equip pilots with such a device, but it did cross my mind after reading a horrible catalogue of disgraceful seamanship and poor design exhibited in what ought to be the simple matter of keeping pilots safe as they board and leave ships.

Join us for a discussion about psychological safety, bullying and SASH in the maritime sector. Participants include: Ann Till (Chief Vessel Operator, Ocean Infinity), Eric R. Dawicki (Northeast Maritime Institute & Dominica Maritime Administration), Eva Lianne Veldkamp (Northeast Maritime Institute & Dominica Maritime Administration), Jeanine Drummond (Principal Marine Advisor) and Jillian Carson-Jackson, M.Ed, FNI, FRIN (President, The Nautical Institute).

Before you, you see my third article on pilot boarding arrangements. After my two previous articles
(‘1000 ways to secure a pilot ladder’ and ‘1000 ladders around’, I have received a lot of feedback and
also questions to get deeper into the matter of combinations and embarkation platforms.

Unless you were paying attention on your last cruise, you might have missed the pilot boat bringing the pilot out to your cruise ship.

Watch also (video of the accident)
Unofficial internal company timeline report

‎Berthing a tanker ship LOA 185 m draft 9