Aberdeen Harbour Board - Pilot

It takes all sorts of roles to ensure safe and successful operations at Aberdeen Harbour. Meet Finn, a Marine Pilot, and find out why he enjoys working at the port...

In today's episode, we continued to take a look at the different aspects of Aberdeen Harbor, including the divers, the pilots, as well as others who work in the harbor. Pilots are required to cross between ships in the sea while both ships are still running, while divers continue to work under the sea on the pipeline. In addition, a charity event is happening on Aberdeen's main street. -- Aberdeen Harbor, on the North East coast of Scotland, is one of Britain's oldest businesses and one of...

Bergstraum inbound to Regent Quay in Aberdeen Harbour with the tug Kittywake assisting.

I have had the privilege of being at quite a number of meetings, conferences and seminars, sometimes representing The Netherlands, but mostly representing the Netherlands pilots. I have had many discussions about the role of pilots and pilot organisations, which lead me to write an article “What is the added value of pilotage?”, published in the February 2020 issue of Seaways.

Impatience is triggered when we have a set goal (for example berthing a vessel) but realise it's going to cost us more than we thought to reach it (the vessel is only making 6 knots against the tide and is taking much longer than predicted).

Finnish Pilots at work.

This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.

Columbia River Bar pilot transfer using helicopter from Articulated Tug and Barge Island Monarch / Island Trader, April 29, 2021 near Astoria, Oregon, USA.

Video discussion hosted by Capt. Vijay Sharma, Master Mariner
along with Co-Host Capt.Gajanan Karanjikar, President of AIMPA
Special Guest: Capt. Sajan Varghese.