In 2006 I was invited to join Port of London Pilot Capt. Tom Miller on one of his last few voyages before his retirement. A pilot cutter ferried us from the Gravesend Port office to the Port of London Terminal where the Hebridean Spirit waited for us to board. Once aboard, the ship's captain manoeuvred the vessel off its moorings and into the channel. After handing the vessel over to Capt. Miller, the Captain joined the ship's company for dinner, and the first offer and a helmsman remained...

Interesting video by "JeffHK" from Hong Kong about the job of a maritime pilot.

In this video we follow along with Capt. Dane of the Palm Beach Harbor Pilots Association on a windy Saturday morning as he brings in a massive bulk carrier cargo ship into the Port of Palm Beach. This vessel which has a draft of 27 ft, and a beam of 99 ft is the maximum allowable size vessel allowed to transit into the port due to the shoaling going on that forces all vessel to have a maximum operating draft of 29 ft. No room for error. Also featured in this video is a regular cargo vessel...

The San Francisco Bar Pilots are one of the important cogs in our supply chain wheel. They are tasked with boarding the vessels eleven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge via a rope ladder often in rough seas and taking control of the vessels en route to the Port of Stockton. Once on the bridge of the ship, the Pilot oversees navigation and ensures the safe passage of ships into the Bay and through the Delta until it is secured alongside its berth at the Port. Without these Pilots the...

"An old experienced pilot sometimes loses a ship by his assurance and over confidence of his knowledge, as effectually as a young pilot does by his ignorance and want of experience."
Let us remind ourselves every day of the principles of safe seamanship...

In my most recent article, I talked about how ports are currently faced with disruptive circumstances that severely impact the day-to-day port operations. The COVID-19 situation and blockage of the Suez Canal lead to increased operational uncertainty and a need for ports to endure the situation rather than planning the future.

Watch the Maritime pilot disembark Ocean Liner, Queen Mary 2

The pilot launch Malu Bau comes alongside in the creek at Queenscliff.
Ship spotting at Point Lonsdale and other water activities by Wally on Water.

#PilotVessel "KOON"/ On board #BulkCarrierShip "PMS EDELWEISS" at anchor in #ZonaComún #Anchorage #pilots #pilotonboard #RioDeLaPlata #Argentina This video shows, the moment when the Pilot Vessel "KOON", finished with the Boarding Operations in #ZonaComún and She was proceding to #LaPlataHarbour . These images were taken on board the Vessel "PMS EDELWEISS" when she was at anchor awaiting high tide, in Zona Común Anchorage Area #RioDeLaPlata. Bulk Carrier Ship "PMS EDELWEISS" - IMO Number:...

An analysis by Ahmed Sati