(Senior) Marine Pilot, Southeast Africa

As a rule, every pilot has the right to refuse an unsafe ladder. Safety first! A brave pilot is not the one who uses an unsafe ladder, but the one who, in case of doubt, asks for a different ladder or a different setting.
Unfortunately, too many pilots climb a dubious ladder when in doubt.

Like threading a needle. Watch as the skilled captain of the Pacific Chinook comes alongside of her sister ship the Pacific Pathfinder to transfer some crew. Watch how precise he can maneuver the boat with her water jets.

The entrance to Cork Harbour situated on the South coast of Ireland can produce some pretty extreme sea states during the winter storm months. There are two main factors that influence the sea state at the entrance, the first being the ebbing tide, the second being shoaling waters over the Harbour Rock, this is situated at the entrance to the Harbour off Roches Point lighthouse, right in the middle between the Western and Eastern channel entrances.

Research on hydrodynamic interaction indicates that if the speed of the ship near a bank is too high, the rudder may be less able to cope with the forces induced and control will be lost. The Nautical Institute highlights this in its latest Mars Report, in which an LPG carrier hit a barge being towed by a tugboat as a result of hydrodynamic forces.

Safehaven Marine have launched ‘Celso Madeira’, an Interceptor 48 pilot for pilotage operations at the Port of Sines in Portugal.

Join me behind the scenes aboard the pilot boat as we guide the cruise ship Borealis out of the River Tyne and welcome a colossal vehicle carrier into port. In this video, you'll get an up-close look at the challenging conditions at sea, including a rough water pilot transfer as we safely land the pilot onboard. Experience the scale of these incredible vessels and see the precision teamwork it takes to keep everything running smoothly, even in heavy seas. From the stunning departure of the...

This publication (2024) details the rules, regulations and procedures that should be followed when preparing for pilot embarkation and disembarkation. It includes relevant excerpts from SOLAS regulations and IMO resolutions.

An overview of the work that has been done to enable larger ships to call at Lyttelton, New Zealand.

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered two pilot boats to the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) in Karachi, Pakistan, which operates the expanding deep-water seaport with an annual handling capacity of 89 million tons in the country’s largest industrial zone.

HOW WE DRIVE- Different methods of steering, navigating and maneuvering the Celebrity Edge, a 130,818 gross ton, 306 meter, $1.2 billion dollar new luxury liner. When we’re underway and I walk around the ship and guest's see the Captain, the question I get asked ALL. THE. TIME is “If you’re here, who is driving the ship”. The answer is the Officer of the Watch. We have a minimum of 3 very qualified and licensed officers manning the bridge at ALL times. 3 separate teams rotate every 4...