International Workboat Show

The United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association (UKMPA), is the representative professional body for Maritime Pilots in the United Kingdom. Almost every ship entering or leaving a port, is required under UK law to engage a duly Authorised Maritime Pilot, who either boards the vessel in port or at sea and takes conduct of the safe navigation of that vessel. This undertaking is critical to protecting the country’s national infrastructure and environment from damage or pollution, supporting the UK’s economy, and ensuring the safe, timely and efficient movement of all trade.

These are the feelings which have been voiced by the crews I have been in contact with during pilotage operations these last few weeks.

We have heard this said about many keyworkers in the UK over the last couple of months. First it was the NHS, then care workers and social workers, then bus drivers, train operators, lorry drivers and the supermarkets.

Although it cannot be said that ship piloting is the world’s oldest profession, most maritime experts do agree that pilotage does date back to antiquity.

These are various views of the pilot vessels coming and going from the pilot dock in Vlissingen prior to 2020.

The term pilot is defined as, “a person who is qualified and usually licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters.” The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 states that, “a pilot is any person not belonging to a ship who has the conduct thereof.”

Smooth and beautiful pilot boat in Karachi harbor.. autonomous sensory meridian response, ASMR

This morning i was up to see the maiden call of the world's largest container ship at the Port of Hamburg. The HMM ALGECIRAS of HMM trades between the Far East and Europe and she can carry up to 23,964 teu. Here at Hamburg, the ship will be handled at the CTB Terminal of HHLA Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG. It was an early start today since the ship already entered the port at 6h in the morning!
#hamburg #shipping #containership #megamax #elbe #record

The Pacific Guardian pilot boat is first seen in Victoria Harbour near Ogden Point before making her way to Point Hope Maritime Shipyard for a full refit. This video captures the entire move process, from the cradle lowering into the harbour, to the careful docking of the vessel, to her move across the turntable and onto the spur line. Some of the footage has been sped up, since the cradle lowering and lifting are slow, deliberate operations where every movement is checked and rechecked....

There are some problems that never seem to go away and one is the perennial difficulties in providing a safe way of getting pilots on and off a ship.