Fédération Française des Pilotes Maritimes (FFPM)

Gabon, Baie du Prince, 2012.
Getting that nice fat lady alongside

It remains a sad fact that accidents and near misses continue to occur during pilot transfers with frightening regularity. Most of these fortunately do not result in injury, and a surprisingly high number of them are not even recognised for what they are.

Surveys into pilot ladder safety consistently reveal that unacceptably high numbers of pilot transfer arrangements are not compliant with the regulations.

The Making of a Bay Pilot
Allen Garfinkle, Executive Director, Board of Pilot Commissioners, San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays
Professional mariner Captain Allen Garfinkle, will highlight the role of maritime pilots in waterborne commerce on San Francisco Bay, including how one becomes a maritime pilot, dangers of the job and common myths about piloting on the Bay. Captain Garfinkle is the Executive Director of the state level authority that trains, licenses and regulates those pilots....

Some words on cruise ships and their compliance with SOLAS ch.V reg 23, IMO A.1045(27)? At the start of 2020 a pandemic we haven’t seen before in hundreds of years has struck the world, putting economies to a halt and had a devastating effect on the beautiful cruise business.

Congratulation to Ahmed Sati for 8,000 moves!

It is not often that this blog is used to show bad practice, however in this case some pictures tell a whole story. Ship is compliant by design for rigging a combination. How about the operator(s)?

Police have performed an incredible late night rescue in one of the country's most treacherous waters, after a pilot boat ran aground at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Three men, who were experts at navigating the dangerous passage, were retrieved safe and well after two hours in the water. Subscribe: http://ab.co/1svxLVE ABC News provides around the clock coverage of news events as they break in Australia and abroad, including the latest coronavirus pandemic updates. It's news when you...

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.

Here's a cool little video of 'PORT LÁIRGE', the Port of Waterford’s new pilot boat we've just launched and it was wonderful to have built another pilot boat for Ireland. She's our 15m Interceptor 48 pilot and is the 48th pilot boat we’ve supplied to ports globally. Powered by a pair of Scania D13 500hp engines she has an operational speed of over 25kts and is capable of carrying of 5 pilots and 2 crew in fine comfort. I think she looks just fabulous in red and blue and look forward to...

Crowley Engineering Services has completed a design of the first fully electric U.S. tugboat with autonomous technology -- providing operators a sustainable and high-performing solution for ship assist and harbor services in any port. The Crowley design, powered by the expertise of recently integrated subsidiary Jensen Maritime, leverages a large battery system and power saving technology to operate in a fully electric mode while producing zero air emissions or greenhouse gases. The 82-foot...