Introduction to Pilotage

"Although this should not happen, pilot ladders sometimes suddenly slip one step. Always grip the sideropes firmly and you can handle this!"

London Pilots (PLA) have issued an excellent quick reference guide for Pilot Transfer arrangements, which can be used for pilots as well as ship’s crews. Please take not of this document and if you can, try to incorporate it into your procedures.

Online survey among maritime pilots in Germany: job-related stress and strain and the effects on their work ability.

Here is the latest version of the professional handbuch of "pilot Ladder Safety" for the rigging and the use of pilot ladders by Herman Broers from July 2021.

Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.

Who knwos Zé Peixe? What makes Zé Peixe a rare species is the way he works: he swims to fetch the ship, while his colleagues use a support boat. And when he takes the ship out of the harbour, instead of returning by boat he jumps into the sea.

The Ministry of Transport can confirm that the pilot boat, St David, was involved in a crash with a reef off of the Northeast Breaker Beacon on Thursday, May 6th, 2021 at 6:48am.

17m Self-righting Pilot Boat by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Name: PILOT 62 Designer: Camarc Design Overall length: 17.3m Designed speed: 25 knots https://www.cheoylee.com/product/detail/66/ Performance • Innovation • Reliability • Quality • Service Ref: 5209 (sister-ship: 5210)

Departing a 159,000 tonne 274 metre long tanker at the Humber Pilot station