Ships in Freeport of Riga

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...

On a windy morning, the incoming bulker HEIDE OLDENDORFF transited the Eurochannel underway to the EECV jetty west side, at 18 meters draft. With the assistance of FairPlay Towage, KRVE linesmen, and the excellent crew of the ship, we had. Very pleasant voyage.

Women’s rights and gender equality are taking centre stage in 2020. But for some women, the fear of gender discrimination has never stopped them from pursuing their dream and Ms Amelia Pickering, a Harbour Pilot, is one of them.
Inspired by her father, she shares how she started her journey in the Maritime industry and some of the challenges she faced being a female Harbour Pilot.

The debate is whether highly skilled pilots could have successfully overcome the recent Boeing 737 MAX computer deficiencies. Will this question eventually be relevant to harbor pilot skills?

Captain Reginaldo Pantoja, AFNI: "Now, as a professional harbour pilot for over 29 years, I try to apply the lessons I learned during these times and also when I worked as a mooring master, tow master, and dock master."

Dublin Port Company has taken delivery of a new Pilot Boat, named DPC Tolka. The state-of-the art vessel arrived in Dublin Port having set sail from Great Yarmouth via Lowestoft, Dover, Gosport, Plymouth, Falmouth and Milford Haven.

APL Belgium in rough water near the Farallon Islands pilot station.

A marine pilot who sadly died after a ‘fall from a pilot ladder’ in the Humber Estuary has now been named. Video credit: BBC Look North/BBC News Hub

Article originally published in SWZ|Maritime September 2022

Through the years, the Dutch Pilots have developed a system of selection, initial education and continual professional training. What is the current state of affairs?

Boat builder Metal Shark has delivered a 55’ x 17’ welded aluminum pilot boat to the Pascagoula Bar Pilots Association in Mississippi.