Opinion

A few words about pilot safety and Merry Christmas


by Frank Diegel - published on 23 December 2021 204 -

photo by harbourpilot.es

Things are moving

Pilot safety is always close to our hearts at Marine-Pilots.com. The job of pilots is more dangerous than many others, as they are always exposed to all the elements of this world at all times, while ensuring the safe passage of ships. My personal impression is that a lot has changed in terms of safety in the last two years. Non-compliance with current legislation that directly affects the safety of pilots is now no longer tolerated by many stakeholders. Something is happening. And that is a good thing.

Knowledge protects lives

The rules for correctly rigging a pilot ladder may seem complicated, and often there is simply a lack of knowledge on how to do it properly. Ongoing education and training is important here. This applies not only to the persons responsible for ensuring that a pilot ladder is used in the correct condition and in accordance with the rules, but especially to the pilot himself.

If the pilot himself is not fully aware of the applicable rules, and cannot accurately judge for himself when the ladder arrangement does not comply with the regulations, then he cannot protect himself and his colleagues. He cannot educate others either. If the pilot knowingly or unknowingly accepts non-compliant ladders, then he is not doing his own safety in particular or the safety of all pilots any favours.

The pilot himself is his own worst enemy!


My thanks to the tireless enlighteners

Today I would like to thank in particular those people who unselfishly invest their private time again and again to make the pilot's environment safer. In doing so, you persistently focus on information and education. Again and again. Thank you for always giving your information, articles and videos to Marine-Pilots.com for dissemination to our community. Your work is worth sharing and seeing.

This is especially true for the initiators of the #DangerousLadders group on Facebook, but also for the website www.pilotladdersafety.com, which collects all the information and rules on pilot ladder safety and presents them clearly. But I would also like to thank the many others who are committed to greater safety. I don't want to mention individual names here today, because my list can only be incomplete. But I think you know which people I mean. Thank you all!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all followers of Marine-Pilots.com.

Thank you for your support, and for growing our great community again this year.


Christmas greetings
Frank
Editor's note:
Opinion pieces reflect the personal opinion of individual authors. They do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about a prevailing opinion in the respective editorial department. Opinion pieces might be deliberately formulated in a pronounced or even explicit tone and may contain biased arguments. They might be intended to polarise and stimulate discussion. In this, they deliberately differ from the factual articles you typically find on this platform, written to present facts and opinions in as balanced a manner as possible.
Maritime software and hardware development, digitalisation

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Herman Broers Loodswezen Rotterdam - Rijnmond, Netherlands
on 24 December 2021, 08:17 UTC

Frank, your own contributions to the awareness aboput the profession and the safety of our colleagues cannot be forgotten as well. Keep up the good work. Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr!
1

Read more...

Article The magnetic north pole migration - What a Pilot should know

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 22 February 2019

The Arctic magnetic pole does not move anymore. It runs, faster and faster. In recent years, even faster than expected. Therefore, geo-researchers have now had an unscheduled change to their world model and adjust their calculations, so that navigation with compass and other navigation aids such as a Pilot Plug, used by pilots around the world, continue to work.

0

Article The difficulty of finding marine pilot-specific information on the Internet

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 4 November 2019

Who is a pilot and how do I find information about this great job on the Internet?

2

Article Marine-Pilots.com celebrates its first anniversary these days!

by Frank Diegel - published on 26 October 2020

International Marine pilot platform for information and knowledge exchange an acute necessity.

3

Article Tanker and general cargo ship collided in Kiel Canal on July 27

published on 28 July 2021

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.

1

Article UKHO announces S-102 Bathymetric Surface data set sea trial project in collaboration with Port of London Authority and SEAiq Pilot

published on 25 February 2022

First-ever live sea trial to test IHO S-100 product specification, support safety case for S-102 and contribute to the development process of S-100 data standards

0

Video Metalcraft Marine sends a Pilot Boat to Florida

published on 22 February 2024

Metalcraft has recently built a Pilot Boat for Port Everglades Pilot's Association to a design by legendary naval architect Bill Preston. See her in motion and admire her sleek, purposeful lines - and hear what makes her design unusual and efficient.

0

Article Study: Identifying cognitive challenges for safe ship overtaking in restricted

by Stella Parisi & Dimitris Nathanael - published on 9 February 2026

Navigation in constrained waters is a cognitively challenging task for seafarers requiring the combined assessment of various elements to perform it with safety. This paper presents a approach to make sense of the dynamic, uncertain,and complex work domain of sea pilotage.

0

Article Norwegia operator to get new Pilot Boat in 2023

published on 12 January 2023

Norwegian shipping company Bukser og Berging has placed an order for a new pilot launch to be built by Kewatec Aluboat of Finland.

0

Video Interview: Arie Palmers on the Maerks global safety days, Cobenhagen

published on 6 September 2022

For the safety of maritime pilots

1

Video Pilot Boat "Servus", Denmark

published on 11 March 2021

pilot boat

0