Certified Deputy Pilot Opening

This expert article is based on a presentation given by Capt. Pilot Sven Stemmler at the MCN's (Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e. V. ) event ‘On the Future of the Pilot Profession’ at Fraunhofer CML in Hamburg on 9 September 2025.

The sun was out and was a beautiful day, I was searching for a light house in the area and there was one in Cameron, La. I started my way to the light house not thinking how bad Cameron was hard hit by two hurricanes. After a few dozen downed power poles I was met with the National Guard and the Po Po. Needless to say I turned around and I had passed the port so I decided to drone this area. Not a bad place and a ship was being assisted by two pilot boats. I never tire with maritime...

Experiences from Australia: No two days are the same for a marine pilot in a busy port such as Esperance, but Mr MacAdie wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Pacific Pilotage Authority of Canada (PPA) has taken delivery of a new aluminium pilot boat from Ocean Pacific Marine of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Operators and supervisors of the operations center (atalaia) of Praticagem da Barra do Rio Grande participated in an update course in online and face-to-face mode. They had classes on nautical charts, electronic charts (ECDIS), radars, portable pilot units (portable electronic navigation equipment) and technical English. "There is no good operation without recurrent training with good tools", says pilotage operational director, practical Bernardo Ramos

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

The new 56-ft. Virginia Pilots launch is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D13 700 hp EPA Tier 3 engines matched with IPS-3 steerable pod drives with forward-facing counter-rotating props. The propulsion system includes Volvo Penta’s EVC electronic steering and control system with a three-axis joystick. Top speed is 33+ knots.

Ultra Large Container Vessel EVER GIVEN ran aground in Suez Canal north of Suez, at around 0600 UTC Mar 23, shortly after entering Canal in northbound convoy.

The Association of Maryland Pilots has taken delivery of a new class of pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Called the “Baltimore Class” after the pilots’ base of operations at the Port of Baltimore.

A good possibility to make the job of a maritime pilot much more visible!