History: Pilot Ahoy! (1940). A pathetone special

Let us start a journey back in time. Back to the black and white films of history. The times have changed, but it is good to know what kind of things have changed and where are the roots of pilotage.

Look at Life Vol 01 Transport Pilot Aboard 1963
The story of Britain's pilotage services.

The Maryland Pilots have guided ships to and from Baltimore since the 1700's. They have been chartered as an organization since 1852. This is an edited except from films about the Pilots shot between 1950-1965 for the Port that Built a City and State. The original films are in the archives of the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Ich bin zu Besuch beim Lotsbetriebsverein in Bremerhaven und unterhalte mich mit dem Ältermann Jan-Helge Jannsen über das Lotswesen in Deutschland. Wir fahren außerdem mit dem Lotsenboot raus und begleiten Lotsen und die Crew auf den Versetzern bei einem Einsatz.

The Puget Sound Pilots’ mission is to ensure against the loss of lives, loss of or damage to property and vessels, and to protect the marine environment by maintaining efficient and competent pilotage service on our State’s inland waters within the Puget Sound Pilotage District. The members of the Pilots are highly skilled, specially trained vessel captains who board oil tankers, cargo vessels and cruise ships to guide them safely through Puget Sound waters. The pilots are independent...

Comment and photos by Reshma Nilofer Naha
India's first female Marine Pilot (Kalkata Port Trust)

Great Lakes Pilot Eric Treece joined us in the Virtual Visitor Center for an interview about his career as a fleet captain and his experiences now as a pilot working aboard a variety of ships. In the course of the conversation, he shares some spectacular photos he has taken over the years. TECHNICAL NOTE: there are a few audio glitches we could not correct but it only impacts a few spots.

Going Beyond Borders. The first oversized Kasko (120m x 40m) passed the Holtenau locks at Kiel on her way from the Neptun shipyard in Rostock to Meyer shipyard in Papenburg.
The planning and simulation study on this towage has been performed by NAUTITEC and KOTUG, with the great assistance of pilots and Kiel canal authorities on behalf of Meyer shipyard.
Produced by AVE-Solutions in order of Nautitec, Kotug and Bijma Sleepdiensten.

A bulk carrier was departing port with a pilot on the bridge to assist with the undocking and manoeuvre downriver. The operation was also assisted by two conventionally propelled tugs, one forward and one aft.

This video shows an introduction on the Pull-out Test-Manoeuvre and describes the procedure how to steer through this simple manoeuvre: Turning circle and then put the rudder amidships. The final rate of turn allows to identify stable and unstable conditions.