Articles

Consistently 99.9 per cent safe operation of large vessels: Marine pilots on Canada’s West Coast have an exceptional safety record in the world’s largest pilot-mandatory zone for large vessels including oil tankers.

This article was already published on 05.01.2022: This study sample consists of a group of healthy middle-aged maritime pilots (n=20), who have been exposed to highly irregular work schedules for more than 15 years.

The Good Practice Guide for Pilots 2021 describes the knowledge and skills (technical and non-technical) that the NZMPA believe all pilots should aim to achieve and maintain. It is written primarily for pilots for their own guidance and professional development, but can be used as a framework for pilot training, proficiency and assessment. It is referenced to NZ Maritime Law and Codes.

The article was written by Allen Garfinkle, Executive Director – Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun

Improvements to pilots’ situation awareness (SA) in maritime navigation are critical to reducing human errors, which have caused 75% to 96% of marine accidents over the last few years.

By the end of this year, our sea pilots are set to have undertaken a record number of pilotage acts. The total number is set to exceed 10,700, with almost 99% of the acts completed without delay.

For the first time, a large vessel is to cross an ocean autonomously. The giant, developed by Hyundai, could usher in a new era of seafaringt: 300 metres long, 50 metres wide, with space for 180,000 cubic metres of liquid gas.

As the sun comes up on the last day of 2021, the last shipping day for Brisbane Marine Pilots, our pilots out on the water serving the Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd, as they have done every day since 1st January 1989.

Long and irregular shifts, unforeseeable operations and high responsibility are still prominent in the job of a pilot and pose high psycho-physical demands.

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.