Smart Ports: Piers of the Future

For the first time, the ports of Antwerp, Barcelona, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Montreal and Rotterdam come together to showcase their most advanced digital transformation and sustainability projects at their dedicated ‘Smart Ports’ exhibit

The smart fairway digitalization pilot is a part of the EMMA Extension project that is funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. This summer, 34 smart buoys were installed in the Saimaa deep fairway, which is Finland’s most important inland waterway for merchant shipping.
Safety is enhanced in particular by the fact that the pilots and VTS can adjust the light output of beacons and the rhythm of lights to support the navigation of vessels in poor visibility and weather conditions....

According to information from Simon Pelletier, President of IMPA, it was resolved at the IMO Maritime Safety Committee 106 on 08.11.2022 to open up the SOLAS Convention for amendment in respect of pilot boarding arrangements.

My personal impression is that a lot has changed in terms of safety in the last two years. Non-compliance with current legislation that directly affects the safety of pilots is now no longer tolerated by many stakeholders. Something is happening. And that is a good thing.

In Germany a total of 16 new corona cases were reported on Friday morning. Ten of them on the two Rostock Aida ships, six more in Schwerin.

Container vessel ALDIVIA (IMO 9333395) was dangerously close to public beach at Vlissingen Netherlands, on May 21, while heading out to sea, en route from Antwerp to Helsinki Finland.
The cause of dangerous approach is unknown, but the ship wasn’t detained, she continued her voyage.

As a part of the ISTLAB project the impact of external factors on pilots’ activities in a remote pilotage situation has been examined in Rauma.

Die Lotsenbrüderschaft Elbe ist ein geschlossener Kreis, der sich nicht gern in die Karten schauen lässt. Wer dort Mitglied werden und bis zu 400 Meter lange Containerpötte in den Hamburger Hafen steuern möchte, muss hohe Anforderungen erfüllen. Bewerber müssen mehrere Jahre lang zur See gefahren sein, um ausreichend Fahrpraxis zu haben. Aber es gibt immer weniger deutsche Seeleute, weil die Reeder billigere Kräfte aus dem Ausland bevorzugen. Dadurch wird es zunehmend schwierig,...

MT DELTA PIONEER sailed from Europoort, in Port of Rotterdam to sea. On arrival at the pilot station the Pilot Station Vessel PROCYON was on station to pick up the pilot from this 250 m long vessel.

Version from 1st May 2021: Ships that require the services of a pilot need to ensure that the Pilot Transfer Arrangements (PTA) they provide are in compliance with the requirements prescribed under SOLAS V/23 and IMO Resolution A.1045(27) [as amended by IMO Resolution A.1108(29)].