Those Who Serve: Columbia River bar pilots risk their lives to guide cargo ships

Good insight into the work of the pilots in Jamaica.

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

The Ship Voyage - Poem - By_ Khan
www.Marine-Pilots.com

This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.

The video was found on some social media channels in June 2020. When so many elementary mistakes are made and so many risks are taken, this is exactly what can happen! It's a demonstrative example of an unprofessional action: 1) Where is the life jacket? 2) No backpack on the shoulders. Use a rope to have the backpack lifted by the deck crew. 3) Where is the rest of the crew (on vessel / on the small boat) for safe assistance? What other mistakes have you discovered? We do not put videos...

During 2022 Saab’s shipyard in Docksta has delivered two Pilot Boats to Germany. In December a contract for a new Pilot Boat for Germany was signed.

It has been shown that a majority (51%) of pilot ladders is secured by means of D-shackles, when secured at intermediate length. Previous research (Evans, 2020) has proven that this method has only about 50% of the strength of the pilot ladder when secured at full length (“double ended ladder”), or by means of the “endless-sling” method.

The need to hold such a webinar was felt from the interaction over several months of AIMPA members through its President, Capt. Gajanan Karanjikar, with Capt Simon Meyjes and Capt.Ravi Nijjer - both instrumental in the thorough upgrade of pilotage

The Professional Association of Maritime and Inland Pilots (Beroepsvereniging van Loodsen – BvL) announced on Thursday that its strike over Belgium’s pension reform will continue throughout the weekend.

This action seeks compensation for injuries he alleges have prematurely ended his career in shipping.