Fédération Française des Pilotes Maritimes (FFPM)

I think this is one of my favorite Marine Pilots' pictures of the year. Very powerful. What a dynamic photo! The moment was instantly caught by the photographer.

They look like toy boats, but they serve a serious purpose. An outsider at this facility near Grenoble, France, may see grown men riding arounda lake in miniature ships. But these are pilots of the world's largest ships, and they're practicing navigation with meticulously engineered 1:25 scale models of real cruisers, tankers, and containerships. Port Revel Shiphandling Training Centre, in operation since 1967, has had more than 6,000 maritime pilots and merchant ship officers from all over...

How do marine pilots work? Example: Bringing a bulkcarrier alongside to „Hansaport“ in Hamburg. Here the tugboats „Prompt“, „Resolute“ and „Bulldog“ are involved. The master has to rely on the pilot. One reason is, that he can‘t know how to deal with these tugs. A maneuver like this is only safe, when the pilot has a lot of practical experience. A master who is doing a maneuver like this only about once or twice a month and each time with tugs he doesn’t know in areas he hasn’t been to...

The Port Pilot, by Richard Blanco. In _Looking for The Gulf Motel_, 2012, University of Pittsburgh Press.

Does the growth of ships ever have limits? Perhaps less in shipbuilding than in the handling of the ships during piloting.

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.

Video Courtesy: Kristijan Sablic

Enjoy the tour from Bridge to Pilot ladder, disembarking of Danpilot.

Check out this footage recently published by Safehaven Marine: This makes me want to become a pilot boat skipper!