by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022
When the bow thruster has been in operation for a while, pilots often notice that the ship not only turns but also gains speed. But why is this? Opinion by Capt. Hugues Cauvier.
Improvements to pilots’ situation awareness (SA) in maritime navigation are critical to reducing human errors, which have caused 75% to 96% of marine accidents over the last few years.
Pilotage is being able to navigate safely into and out of a harbour/anchorage/port knowing where you are at all times, where your hazards are and a safe route in/out. This is particularly useful if you are heading into somewhere new or a challenging/busy area – or both!
SWATH and SWASH are interesting technologies that allow a vessel to sail much more calmly in high waves. A stable and calm position of the ship is especially important for pilot boarding.