The Risks of Remote Pilotage in an Intelligent Fairway - preliminary considerations

The technology group Wärtsilä has delivered a navigation simulator and specific mathematical models to the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) in the city of Rauma, Finland. These will be used as an essential enabler in the Intelligent Shipping Technology Test Laboratory (ISTLAB) project, which aims at creating a technically precise testing environment for remotely controlled, autonomous vessels. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in the 4th quarter of 2019.

According to "Buchan Observer": Peterhead Port Authority has introduced remote pilotage for selected vessels entering the harbour as part of a package of measures designed to reduce the risk of staff and users contracting the Covid-19 virus.

Published on 5th June 2020. Author Capt. John Dolan says: "We would not recommend remote pilotage when the ship is berthing or unberthing. These operations require the presence and advice of an experienced pilot who has extensive local knowledge and who is usually assisted by port tugs."

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

Lately there has been a considerable increase in opinions of seagoing ship´s masters complaining about pilotage services, expressed whether as LinkedIn articles and comments or in some reputable industry magazines.

On march 24th, 2022, the bulkcarrier BERGE BIMBERI entered Port of Rotterdam via the Eurochannel. The ship had a draft of 17,6 meters and two pilots were flown in by helicopter for this job. Assisted by Faiplay tugs and KRVE linesmen she eventually berthed at EECV bulk terminal in Europoort, Rotterdam.

If you own, operate or command a foreign-flagged ship entering an Australian port, you may be subject to a port State control inspection by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. Help prepare your ship for compliance by watching the video below and visiting our website for more pre-inspection resources.

HYBRID FUTURE SHIP ECO ITALIA. Time-Lapse. Gopro Max. SENIOR PILOT CAPTAIN Eyup Zafer performing departure maneuvering of Grimaldi Co Ship HYBRID RoRo ECO ITALIA. 2 TUGBOATS @captertanozgur PORT OF YILPORT - GEMLIK

Editor's note: The pilot boarding seems a bit improvised and unsafe to me, but that's certainly business as usual, isn't it?

A container ship is reported to be stranded off the coast of Gibson Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Marine Tracker lists the ship as the Ever Forward and that it is aground. It appears there are several tugboats out of Baltimore trying to assist. The company that operates the ship, Evergreen, is the same one that was responsible for the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal a year ago.