The story of Britain's pilotage services.
The story of Britain's pilotage services.
Video Maritime Piloting in the 17th-Century
published on 25 June 2022
Video Look at Life - City of Sailors - Portsmouth - 1965, UK
published on 18 March 2021
Video British Sea Pilot's 1960: Vintage History Vault Films.
published on 27 July 2026
Step back in time to the height of Britain's maritime influence with this look at the unsung heroes of the shipping industry: the sea pilots. In the 1960s, as global trade patterns shifted and shipping technology began its rapid evolution, British sea pilots remained the vital, trusted guides navigating the world’s most complex waterways. From the treacherous currents of the River Mersey to the bustling ports of the coast, these men held the legal conduct of massive vessels in their hands,...
Video Crossing Lake Superior on a 1,000 Foot Ship
published on 19 November 2025
This video gives you full access on board the 1000 foot Great Lakes ship Indiana Harbor of the American Steamship Company as it crosses Lake Superior from the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Two Harbors, Minnesota. It is a complete real experience that shows daily life and work with the crew who operate one of the largest ships on the Great Lakes. We board the ship at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and I show exactly what it is like to step on board and begin the...
Video The Halifax Explosion Inquiry Blamed One Pilot. Two Courts Disagreed
published on 1 September 2026
A French munitions ship and a Norwegian steamer collided in Halifax harbour in December 1917, and the blast that followed remains the largest human-made explosion before the atomic bomb. Within six days, a formal inquiry opened — and within two months it placed nearly all the blame on one harbour pilot. Wreck Commissioner Arthur Drysdale's inquiry found Mont-Blanc's pilot and captain responsible for the collision that triggered the disaster, and all three men involved, including a naval...