Those Who Serve: Columbia River bar pilots risk their lives to guide cargo ships

Harbour pilots perform tricky operations boarding big cruise ships from fast pilot boats. Auckland and Malta.

In one of the busiest and most critical waterways in the United States, timing and safety are everything. Along the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Port Arthur, Texas, the Sabine Pilots are redefining maritime pilot transfer by taking to the air. This video follows the Sabine Pilots and HeliService USA as they use Leonardo AW169 helicopters to move pilots safely and efficiently between ships—reducing risk, improving responsiveness, and keeping America’s energy gateway moving. From offshore hoists...

Editors Note:
Safety is different
One comment on YouTube on this video:
"No hard hats, no Hi-Viz clothing (in case pilot falls in) the one at 5:16 has not even got a life jacket - absolute cowboys!"

Recently Capt. Troy Evans did a research into the breaking strength of various securing methods. To quantify the problem of unsafe practices, now is time to have a survey into the number of the various securing methods used worldwide.

Pilot Boat 68 heads out in choppy seas in the Dardanelles

Raw footage of a an offshore Pilot transfer.
More pictures and an occasional video can be found at
https://instagram.com/sea_weathered?igshid=3qbu808ioyqf

Awesome video from Puget Sound.

Heavy Load Carrier Zhen Hua 24
Assisted by tugs April Moran, Gramma Lee T Moran, Lynne Moran, pilot boat Fells Point.
Fireboat is John R. Frazier

This video includes how we transit STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR on the biggest ship in the world (EMMA MAERSK)
I have included some bridge procedures we are required to carry out PRE-ARRIVAL and how MASTER-PILOT exchange is carried out .
For aspiring sailors , do watch the whole video as you will learn how life at sea works , the challenges we face and the pros and cons of merchant navy .
I conduct Q&A session on my Instagram account, so don't forget to follow me there too