Article

Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations


published on 13 July 2021 -  208 -

The ICS Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations is the industry standard best practice guide for shipping companies, ships’ crew and helicopter operators. Written for both those in the air and those at sea, this important interface document helps all those involved in helicopter/ship operations become familiar with the important technical aspects of these complex operations.

The fifth edition provides the latest guidance on standardised procedures and facilities for helicopter/ship operations worldwide, and encourages safe and efficient performance in the field. The Guide has been fully updated to reflect the most up-to-date advice from industry experts in both the maritime and aviation sectors. For ships to which the International Safety Management (ISM) Code applies, this Guide may also help in developing shipboard operating procedures and requirements for the various helicopter operations that may be undertaken on board.
New in the fifth edition:
  • Updated guidance on transferring marine pilots directly to the bridge wing by winch, including associated risk assessments.
  • A detailed list of abbreviations and definitions from the maritime and aviation industry.
  • Expanded information on the requirements specific to different ship types.
  • Revised layout and checklists to better reflect human factors.
The Guide should be carried on board every ship and should be accessible to ships’ Masters, officers and crew, helicopter pilots and operators.
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video AMPI Marine Pilot Profiles Webinar - November 2021

published on 16 November 2021

Thanks to Jacqui Kenyon, Chevi King and Kate Delisky for joining Jeanine Drummond on this webinar to discuss their careers and pathways into marine pilotage. The audience was a great mix of experienced marine pilots and newer maritime industry participants, as well as school aged children, with people joining us from Australia and overseas. It was an opportunity to create greater awareness of the maritime industry, and the important role marine pilotage plays in protecting our port...

0

Article Sustainability Thinking in Maritime Pilotage Training: Barriers, Enablers, Drivers, and Risks

by Ship senior pilot Seyed Behbood Issazadeh - published on 15 June 2026

This study addresses that gap by examining sustainability thinking not simply as an issue of awareness, but as a problem of training integration in a safety-critical professional context.

1

Article New book: The Situational Awareness & The Port Pilotage Services

published on 8 February 2021

Serkan Kahraman and Yusuf Zorba have published a new book for marine pilots. In this book, maritime pilots and shipmasters’ situational awareness levels have been analyzed using a bridge simulator system and the results have been obtained.

2

Opinion How OpenBridge seeks to improve maritime workplaces

by Prof. Kjetil Nordby Institute of Design - The Oslo School of Architecture and Design - published on 6 May 2020

Lack of standard user interfaces across bridge equipment is a major concern for maritime safety. Pilots are in a unique position, as they are constantly exposed to new and differing bridge working environments, equipment, interface designs and combinations of systems. As pilots face this problem throughout every shift they need to put in considerable effort to adjust their work to the many user interfaces they meet.

0

Video Education: Effect of Drift Force and unstable moment

published on 20 June 2024

SAMMON Lecturing Video describing
"Effect of Drift Force and unstable moment"
-------------------------------------------------------------
SAMMON - the IDEAL tool to identify manoeuvring capabilities of a ship - SAMMON - learning the EFFECTIVE way

1

Article UK Ports and Pilots take firm stand against Non-compliant Trap Door Boarding arrangements

published on 24 March 2021

UKMPA has released a notice to their members today regarding the so-called non compliant trapdoors. Vessels have been rejected entrance, talks have started with different shipping companies.

1

Video Flying into the Graveyard of the Pacific: Ports Unknown with Columbia River Bar Pilot Michael Tolley

published on 15 June 2026

At the mouth of the Columbia River lies "The Graveyard of the Pacific"—the deadliest river bar crossing on earth. To get a massive cargo ship safely through these crushing waves, an elite Bar Pilot has to board a moving ship by climbing a rope ladder and get's hoisted off the ship by helicopter 10 miles off shore in the Pacific Ocean. In this episode of What do you Wanna Cook?: PORTS UNKNOWN, we get you as close to the action as humanly possible. We take you inside the cockpit for an...

0

Video Female Singapore Harbour Pilot

published on 28 December 2020

Women’s rights and gender equality are taking centre stage in 2020. But for some women, the fear of gender discrimination has never stopped them from pursuing their dream and Ms Amelia Pickering, a Harbour Pilot, is one of them. Inspired by her father, she shares how she started her journey in the Maritime industry and some of the challenges she faced being a female Harbour Pilot. -- Connect with Us! Facebook: MONEY FM 89.3 Instagram: @moneyfm893 Twitter: @moneyfm903 Linked In: MONEY FM 89....

0

Video Pilot Boat Medemin Cuxhaven / Germany

published on 29 March 2022

Incredibly huge container ships sea giants mega ships. Shipspotting ships observation of cargo ships, tankers, pilots, container ships, oil tankers and many more. Special highlight is the boarding of a pilot on the DFDS ferry. The pictures were taken on 18.03.2022 at the North Sea coast in Cuxhaven, Germany. I was able to spot the following ships: Hapag Lloyd Nagoya Express - container ship Aries J - container ship KESS Seine Highway - RORO Ferry Susanne - working ship Autumn - tanker...

0

Article Seven questions for Capt. Gajanan Karanjikar, President at All India Maritime Pilots Association

published on 22 April 2021

In our new section “Five questions for ..." Marine-Pilots.com introduces pilots and other market players to our readers in short interviews. Today we have seven questions!

We have talked to Capt. Gajanan Karanjikar, President at All India Maritime Pilots association

0