Northwest passage

The Northwest Passage is the approximately 5780 km long sea route that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean north of the American continent. It crosses the Arctic Ocean and its marginal seas as well as the associated sea lanes through the Canadian-Arctic archipel ago.

Roald Amundsen made his first complete successfully crossing in 1903-1906 via the route discovered by John Rae through the James Ross Strait, Rae Strait and Simpson Strait on the small ship Gjøa.

In this episode of Mighty Jobs we meet the piloting crew of Buksér og Berging in Tromsø, Norway. Their Volvo Penta-powered piloting boat covers around 42,000 nautical miles every year. That’s the equivalent of traveling around the world twice. The Volvo Penta IPS system makes it possible to pilot ships under all weather conditions.

Spektakulært forsøk. Vanskelig losoppdrag. Svært fartøy. Trang fjordpassasje. #Kystverket #lostjenesten #sikkerseilas/ Spectacular attempt. Demanding maritime pilotage. Huge vessel. Narrow passage. #norwegaincoastaladministration #safeseaways

Follow Puget Sound Pilot Pat Ninburg as he embarks on a routine job, northbound in the Puget Sound -- from Seattle to Port Angeles, WA.

SENIOR PILOT CAPTAIN ERTAN OZGUR performing departure maneuvering of MSC co ship MSC MARYLENA. She has bowthruster, right handed pitch propeller. She will be using 2 tugboats.

Video by marine pilot ESIL ABIBULA.

It turns out that supertankers and cruise ships have valets. They're called maritime pilots, and they're among the most elite ship handlers in the world. So where does one go to learn how to park the largest ships in the world? To the Maritime Pilots Institute in Covington, La. There, they use mini-versions of the behemoth boats to teach the basics. All aboard!

Following in a long line of ever more refined and very seaworthy vessels, this small example of a Safehaven pilot boat has been chosen for operations on and around Scotland’s Cromarty Firth.

Article originally published in SWZ|Maritime September 2022

Through the years, the Dutch Pilots have developed a system of selection, initial education and continual professional training. What is the current state of affairs?

Marine-Pilots.com, online portal and community for maritime pilots worldwide, has launched the new section „Marketplace“. For a test period, usage and advertising is free for registered users.