Dutch Pilot Boat Approaching. Swath Technology

At the A&R shipyard in Germany, the successful principle of SWATH boats was further developed in 2013: The SWASH principle allows sea-going, smaller and more economical boats.

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.

Abeking Rasmussen
The shipyard has been developing and building ships for navies, coastguards, the public sector, ship operators and private customers since 1907. In addition to sailing- and motoryachts, current products include minesweepers and --hunters, patrol boats plus special ships like research and supply ships for the offshore industry.
With SWATH@A&R technology Abeking & Rasmussen developed a type of ship with exceptional seakeeping capabilities that provides a stable working...

What a dangerous situation. Never seen that before.

The name tag plate on this ladder displays a few important items that can be cross referenced with the certificate: Type, Model, Length, Production date, as well as the serial number (Prod.No) and the approval standard.

We have reached Port Said at the northern end of the Suez Canal. Could not have been a more enjoyable adventure. Thank you Suez Canal Authority for the two excellent pilots, specially Emad, and the support specially at Ismailia.
Editor's note:
Other countries, other habits: especially when it comes to safety standards. Life jackets, for example, are not to be seen here.

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

In early December, just as I was starting to get into ship spotting, I saw a couple of vessels headed up river towards Philly. One of them, the Cielo di Iyo met with the harbor pilot right as I had my drone up. I was able to capture the Pilot coming to meet the vessel and CLIMBING the ladder to get on board just before she passed beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge.

This is a video of the cruise ship pilot boat that picks up the pilot once he has navigated the ship out of the port. This is a requirement of all cruise ships coming into and leaving out of ports. We also noticed them at the Bahamas. I was able to capture this one on my last cruise leaving out of Port Canaveral... watch as the pilot jumps from the cruise ship to the pilot boat while both are moving! :)

Great image video of the Italian pilots (Federazione Italiana Piloti dei Porti).