Harbor Pilot Disembarks a Containership

Big thanks to Geraldton Port Authority for allowing Bill and I to go out in one of their pilot boats and board a ship. It was a beautiful day for it.

In this article I would like to share my thoughts on this pilot ladder poster. Is it as good as we think or is there room for improvement? By taking you through this poster step by step I hope to explain what needs to be changed to make it similar to IMO an SOLAS regulations.

This video was filmed on board Pilot Vessel "SEA MASTER" and shows the moments when the Pilot Boat was proceeding to the #BoardingStation #KM239_1 #PuntaIndioChannel #Recalada #RioDeLaPlata to the vessel "GLORY HARVEST", to start with the Embarking Maneuvering of the #RioDeLaPlataPilots

Editor's note: The pilot boarding seems a bit improvised and unsafe to me, but that's certainly business as usual, isn't it?

We take a look at some of the dangerous ladder arrangements provided by ships when attempting to take maritime pilots on board. Our message is simple: if you are offered an unsafe or non-compliant ladder, do not board!

A Japanese bulk carrier that has spilled more than 1,000 tons of oil since running aground off the coast of Mauritius has broken in two. Officials said the split was caused by a crack in a cargo hold, after the ship's condition deteriorated severely overnight. Emergency teams and thousands of volunteers have been racing to siphon off remaining fuel on board the ship.

The last pilot's trip of Vincent (Flemish pilotage). An unforgettable day provided by Vincent, his family and team 9. A trip from Vlissingen to the Zandvlietsluis on Saturday 18 September 2021.

"Last legislative session, river pilots committed to making African Americans and other minorities aware of the growing number of career opportunities in Louisiana's maritime industry," said river pilot Captain Lee Jackson in a statement.

I have had the privilege of being at quite a number of meetings, conferences and seminars, sometimes representing The Netherlands, but mostly representing the Netherlands pilots. I have had many discussions about the role of pilots and pilot organisations, which lead me to write an article “What is the added value of pilotage?”, published in the February 2020 issue of Seaways.