Lesath and Procyon. Pilot vessels at the Port of Rotterdam

Waiting on the porch of boat pilot cabin. Putting on life vest and embarking on boat pilot speedboat. Navigating on St Lawrence River towards cargo ship Federal Kumano. Embarking on cargo ship. Talking stairs up tp navigation bridge. Meeting crew.Taking over controls of Federal Kumano.

It’s not always calm seas, helicopters and fast speedboats. In the third weekend storm this year, the pilot embarks MV VERA D by fast launch craft of the Pilot Station Vessel PROCYON. It takes professional teamwork by Pilotboat crew, the ship VERA D and VTS to board these ships in the harshest conditions in a violent Northsea. Well done and thanks to all players involved!

Wind was blowing strong from the NE and the waves were becoming bigger and bigger by the time we reach a new client.
Crew didn't consider the rolling effect about to happen while changing heading in order to give lee when they prepared pilot ladder, so the requested 1.5m above the water was not that good.
I decided to abort and to give the vessel the chance to shorten it. In the next attempt they did it right and I was able to board safe

Trabajo que realiza el Sr, Práctico en Atraque y Desatraque de naves Mercantes a Puerto , Monoboya Quintero . Multiboyas y Pilotaje en los canales del Sur de Chile hasta Punta Arenas.
Work done by the Pilot.on board in mooring and undocking of Merchant ships to port. Monoboya Quintero .Multibuy and pilotage in the channels of the South of Chile to Punta Arenas.

Footage of the "Pilot Station Vessel" POLARIS of the Dutch Pilot Organisation, made with a DJI Phantom Drone, controlled with a FPV (First Person View), and equipped with a GoPro Hero 3 camera.
The location is Maascenter, an important navigation point for ships entering the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Date: 15 may 2014. Music: Skrillex - Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites.

Unissued / Unused material - Hamburg, West Germany (FDR - Federal Republic of Germany). German helicopters are used to carry river boat pilots to where they are needed. Big CU Helicopter pilot talking into mouthpiece. Aerial view from helicopter of boat below. MS as the helicopter comes in and lands on deck of the ship. Various shots as pilot is picked up from lightship and flown off in helicopter. LS From bridge of ship as helicopter flies overhead. CU Small bird sitting on capstan. (f.g....

Pilot died of heart attack on board of tanker JC BAZAN, berthed in San Lorenzo, Argentina, Parana river, on Mar 2.

On the occasion of the Maritime Safety Week (July 4-10), UK MAIB’s inspector Bill Evans refers to the issue of unsafe pilot ladders, a concern that has been regularly voiced by the industry.

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...