Welcome back to the Fluctus Channel for a feature on the important role of tugboats in navigating the bigger vessels in harbors and canal, as well as the open seas.

As a rule, every pilot has the right to refuse an unsafe ladder. Safety first! A brave pilot is not the one who uses an unsafe ladder, but the one who, in case of doubt, asks for a different ladder or a different setting.
Unfortunately, too many pilots climb a dubious ladder when in doubt.

Tanker went out of control after engine failure and collided with general cargo ship in Kiel Canal near Kiel locks, at around 0120 LT Jul 27.

Correct method of rigging pilot ladder explained.
As explained, a large number of reports related to the use of pilot ladders which are too long relative to the vessel’s draughts. As a result, the excessively long ladders require shortening up before being deployed for boarding pilots. In these cases, ship crew shortens the pilot ladders, using D-shackles to choke the side ropes at the required height along the ladder’s length. In this method, the D-shackle is first secured to a hard point...

An article by Arie Palmers highlights his collaboration with Multraship to develop a solution aimed at enhancing the safety of pilot boarding on harbor tugs, ultimately reducing delays.

In this video, watch a cruise ship arrival from the pilot's perspective with Capt. Dane of the Palm Beach Harbor Pilots Association on a windy Sunday morning as he brings in a cruise ship into the Port of Palm Beach, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. This is the biggest and only cruise ship currently sailing out of the Port of Palm Beach. If you enjoyed this video, make sure to SUBSCRIBE for more videos about Ships! ⚓ Learn More about the Palm Beach Pilots: http://palmbeachpilots.com...

The latest MS Amlin Marine circular, compiled by theTechnical Loss Prevention Consultant Peter van der Kroft, focuses on the importance of pilot safety in marine navigation.