Article Podcast: Maritime Pilot Safety and reducing the risk in pilot transfer operations
published on 4 July 2023
Article 1,000 ways to secure a Pilot Ladder
by Arie Palmers, Netherlands - published on 10 January 2020
Article Combinations Ladders: "1,000 combinations around" (by Arie Palmers)
by Arie Palmers, Netherlands - published on 13 July 2020
Article Shareable Survey "Boarding and Landing Arrangements for Pilots" by Ewan Rattray
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 26 August 2020
Video Pilot Embarkation - Gangway Access - Unsafe Practice at Sea CHIRP Maritime Safety
published on 4 July 2019
The hazards of Pilot boarding
Throughout 2016, the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) held a safety campaign focused upon the standard of pilot ladders and associated equipment. CHIRP supported this campaign and received many reports on the subject.
This first report describes issues concerning pilot access near
the non-parallel ends of a ship, and use of a retractable platform.
Video Dublin Port | Pilot Operations
published on 2 November 2021
DPC provide a Pilot Service for vessels visiting the port, the service involves putting on and taking off Pilots from the vessels both in port and at sea. Only personnel who are qualified, trained and passed out as competent in their respective roles are involved in this operation which will normally involve a Coxswain to helm the boat, a boatman to look after the deck operations and ensure the safety of the Pilot throughout the operation. Following correct procedures and utilising all...
Video North Sea Pilot Boat in choppy Seas
published on 24 November 2025
Early morning in the North Sea, three-metre swells, freezing winds, and a burst of hail hammering the deck - perfect conditions for another day with the Port of Tyne pilotage.
In this video we take two pilots out to the Aquamarine Ace onboard the pilot boat Collingwood, pushing through seriously choppy water on a bitter, stormy morning. You’ll see the full run out to sea, the swell hitting the bow, the hailstorm rolling in, and the precision teamwork that gets the pilots safely across in...
Video Hamburg Harbor Pilot Boat "Lotse 4" on Elbe River
published on 24 November 2023
Ship Name: Pilot 4 ENI: 04810620 Client: Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) Operator: Hafenlotsenbrüdergesellschaft Hamburg Shipyard: Schiffswerft Hermann Barthel, Derben Building No. 170 Classification: Germanischer Lloyd Grade: GL + 100 A5 IN (1,2) Z Pilot Boat Length: 17.93 m Width 4.98 m Draught 1.20 m Main engines: 2 MAN Type D 2876 LE 407 Machine output: 2 x 360 kW/1,800 rpm #shipspotting #pilotboat #hamburg
Video Emergency Fire Drill on Pilot Boat
published on 10 August 2022
Video Vessel "ELSE" crashes into closed lock gate in Kiel-Holtenau on 29.08.2020
published on 31 August 2020
Shortly after 5 a.m. local time the vessel “Else” had a collision in the Kiel-Holtenau lock to the Kiel Canal.
The "Else" subject to pilotage passed the pilot's boarding position without taking a sea pilot on board and collided from the outside into the closed gate of the new north lock. The bow bored into the metal construction and the ship was stuck for about six hours.
For more information about this accident see related content below (articles).