Harbour Master / Marine Manager

Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.

Breaux’s Bay Craft, Loreauville, La., delivered the new 90’x23’x12’4″ aluminum pilot boat Spindletop to the Sabine Pilots on March 6. The Sabine Pilots, Port Arthur, Texas, serve the Texas ports of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. “This is the biggest pilot boat built in the U.S.,” said Roy Breaux, the shipyard’s owner. “There are bigger ones in other parts of the world, but this is the largest in the U.S.”

Today a look at a special vessel that is commonly seen on the Astoria waterfront: the pilot boat that takes pilots to and from passing ships.

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.

This is a short video of the Hamburg Pilot boarding Queen Mary 2. These people make it look easy but, it is a dangerous manoeuvre.

Award winning 15m wavepiercing pilot boat

Earlier this year ABP announced an investment of around £9 million to build nine new pilot boats. These vessels were ordered from Goodchild Marine Services Limited and are being built in Norfolk along with much of the supply chain coming from East Anglian suppliers.

Eerie fog envelops the Disney Wonder as the cruise ship enters the mouth of the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico. A pilot boat approaches to drop off the Mississippi River boat pilot.
The eerie fog made it look like the ship somehow transported to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
No sign of Captain Jack Sparrow, but he has to be hiding somewhere. Maybe he's at the Crown & Fin Pub having a tot of Navy Strength Pusser's Rum.
Video taken from deck 10 aft near the Palo restaurant.

Goodwin Sands, Kent. M/S bows of Trinity House ship "Ready". L/S "Tongue" lightship at sunset. Panning M/S from side to front of service ship (deck level). M/S lightship. M/S bridge of service ship, lightship passes. L/S two ships, pan to lightship. C/U ship's telegraph coming to "stop". M/S seaman pulls fresh water hose to lightship. L/S deck of service ship, general activity. C/U provisions waiting to be transported to lightship. M/S men passing food between ships. L/S side of...