Marine Pilot

U.S. Coastgard has published an update of their Recommendation for Pilot Transfer Arrangements in latest Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB).

"Recent deaths of maritime pilots while embarking commercial vessels highlight the risks of operating in an
unforgiving maritime environment. To ensure the safety of all personnel boarding a vessel at sea, the Coast
Guard reminds vessel owners and operators of the requirements contained in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter V, Regulation 23 and strongly recommends that owners and operators follow the recommendations within IMO Resolution A.1045(27) – Pilot Transfer Arrangements. "

Watch the Maritime pilot disembark Ocean Liner, Queen Mary 2

Correct method of rigging pilot ladder explained.
As explained, a large number of reports related to the use of pilot ladders which are too long relative to the vessel’s draughts. As a result, the excessively long ladders require shortening up before being deployed for boarding pilots. In these cases, ship crew shortens the pilot ladders, using D-shackles to choke the side ropes at the required height along the ladder’s length. In this method, the D-shackle is first secured to a hard point...

Containership CMA CGM BARRACUDA ran aground near Kruiningen on the Western Scheldt just before 01:00 UCT, Friday the 13th. Halfway between Antwerp and Vlissingen, she was sailing downstream en route from Antwerp to Hamburg. Directly after the grounding, multiple tugs gathered around her.
UPDATE: The tugs were able to refloat the vessel around 04:00 UCT. She is currently anchored at Everingen anchorage for hull inspection, just south of Borssele at Westerschelde River.
#westernscheldt...

The following short clip appeared on TikTok recently, showing a non compliant trapdoor arrangement, and a pilot using it. From this short video, the dangers of this kind of arrangement are very clear.

posted on YouTube by "Marine Online"
Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is turned on its side or it is upside down in the water. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting. If a capsized vessel has enough flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if it is not stable inverted. Vessels of this design are called self-righting.
#PilotBoat #Capsize #LifeBoat

PortXchange Products B.V., the Netherlands-based digital solutions provider for predictable and sustainable shipping, is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed the migration of users from the Greater Houston Port Bureau’s (“GHPB”) Harborlights Vessel Tracking System (“Harborlights”) to its proprietary PortXchange PilotTracker (“PilotTracker”) platform.

A in-depth video explaining how DUKC® works.

February 23, 2020.
During high seas, smaller ships board Maritime Pilots in the mass entrance to Port of Rotterdam.

The latest edition of the ISPO Code and Control Manual has just been published: From January 1st 2022, the new ISPO Code and ISPO Control Manual will come into effect.