Pilot Trainee

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

Fewer vessels in voyage mean less pilotage and this means less income for many Pilots. Not every Pilot is an employee and many pilots are self-employed and organised in a brotherhood per example. They are earning only money if they are piloting a vessel. No vessel – no money.

This operation was carried out as part of a study of the capability of vessels of 142 meters length to enter and leave the seaport of Vyborg in the daylight.

The Ever Act, the worlds largest and the second to be built out of a series of 12 record breaking vessels prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 9 with a maximum draught of 10.2 metres for her next port of Hamburg.  As the DFDS ferry was heading inbound at the North Shipwash, Harwich VTS had asked then to make best speed so they planned to get the Suecia Seaways through before the Ever Act broke away. A Harwich Haven Pilot Launch heads over from Harwich with a pilot for the Ever Act....

The IMO has adopted groundbreaking amendments to SOLAS Regulation V/23, introducing mandatory performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements.

Drydocking or undocking is always a difficult task, particularly with a “dead” vessel (no power/propulsion) and the wind blowing on the ship's side.

Over the past few years a number of pilot transfer accidents have occurred resulting from total failure of the side ropes, one school of thought is that the methods of securing a pilot ladder is a factor in such occurrences.

The Australian company Hart Marine specialises in building pilot and patrol boats of the highest quality.This is not surprising, as the owner's father, Mal Hart, was a harbour master and therefore very familiar with the requirements of a pilot boat.

The Port Phillip Sea Pilots launch Torquay off Point Lonsdale.
Ship spotting at Point Lonsdale and other water activities by Wally on Water.

'Balblair' Cromarty Firth's 2nd Safehaven Marine Interceptor 48 pilot boat on sea trials.