Shipping Assistant

Back in August 2022, we received an offer to accompany the Port Colborne Pilot boat to make a video about the process of putting Pilots on board ships sailing on the Great Lakes. Port Colborne is the upbound terminus of the Welland Canal, and opens onto Lake Erie.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuildiing, Duclos Corporation, has taken an order for a rigid-bottom, soft-sided pilot boat from the Lake Pilots. The Resilient class high-speed launch is the Michigan pilots’ third boat built by the Somerset-Mass. Shipyard since 1979.

Suggestion of Pilot Transfer Point @ stern of the Pilot Boat. By Khan

Transas Pilot PRO is designed to assist pilots in their daily routine, helping them to maintain efficient pilotage and other onboard operations

Following a competitive, international selection process, the Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a contract with British family-run company, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, to build a new pilot vessel.

A beautiful day, climbing up the (not-so-well-rigged) pilot ladder and then the stairs of the accommodation towards the bridge.

Manoeuvring large ships at close quarters and on shallow water is one of the most difficult aspects of shiphandling because of the complex hydraulic interactions depending on the ships' speeds, on the water depth and on lateral restrictions like in canals. Training is conducted both on meeting and on overtaking ships in shallow waters. This video shows how overtaking in a canal should be conducted: come in close to the stern and then move away from the bow that will be sucked towards your...

Port Revel is used for shiphandling training of maritime pilots, masters and officers on a 5 ha lake with 11 manned model ships representing 20 vessels, and 4 tugs at scale 1:25 and DGPS tracking system. Instructors are former maritime pilots.
Training on the scale models provides experience that could never be gained on real ships for the simple reason that neither ship-owners nor local authorities would allow such risks to be taken. Scale models allow the shiphandler to make mistakes....

She just finished school in Norway, and “a 19 year old rebel,” admits Captain Breivik about her younger self. She didn’t know what to do next, but Solgunn Hamme Breivik certainly never expected to make history.