Reminder: The 134th UKMPA Conference

The United Kingdom Maritime Pilots' Association (UKMPA) has all been inundated with CV19 communications from all manner of sources in the last few weeks. Here is a condensed collection of information from the UKMPA.

Look at Life Vol 01 Transport Pilot Aboard 1963
The story of Britain's pilotage services.

The United Kingdom Maritime Pilots’ Association (UKMPA) today announced the launch of a major rebranding following the UK’s recent departure from the European Union. The timely changes from a heraldic collection of flags to a modern visual image that more properly reflects an association that is proactive, inclusive and dynamic whilst at the same time maintaining its historical context.

Some impressions from a sail on the Falmouth Pilot Cutter Pellew in October 2021. The Pellew was built by Luke Powell and his team in Truro at https://www.workingsail.co.uk/ between 2017 and 2020.
Trips on Pellew can be booked through Venturesail on their website https://venturesailholidays.com/voyage-finder

The world watched as the grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal played out. In a 2-part Quadcast Shipping Special, the "Quadcast" reviews the consequences and legal implications of a major maritime incident of this type.

The pilots make docking mega-ships look easy despite the meteorological disturbance.
Great pictures from Morocco

The Dutch coaster Mv. Stroombank is leaving the port of Figueira da Foz in Portugal. Normally operations are restricted to daylight only, but because bad weather was forecasted for the days to come we've received an exemption and were allowed to depart during dark hours. Cargo operations were running close to the departure deadline so we quickly secured the cargo and prepared the vessel for sea. The tide was running out so we used the forward spring to keep position as we went slow astern...

Port Revel is a ship handling training center for pilots, captains and officers. Unique in its kind, it allows to acquire new skills, to improve on different manned models at scale 1 / 25th.

Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.