Meet Captain Lyle Donovan, a San Diego Bay pilot with the San Diego Bay Pilots Association

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

It’s not always calm seas, helicopters and fast speedboats. In the third weekend storm this year, the pilot embarks MV VERA D by fast launch craft of the Pilot Station Vessel PROCYON. It takes professional teamwork by Pilotboat crew, the ship VERA D and VTS to board these ships in the harshest conditions in a violent Northsea. Well done and thanks to all players involved!

Leaving Honningsvåg Norway aboard the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship in May 2023. Video shows the Pilot leaving the ship.

Day two at the offshore Pilot station out of San Francisco. https://instagram.com/sea_weathered?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

As a rule, every pilot has the right to refuse an unsafe ladder. Safety first! A brave pilot is not the one who uses an unsafe ladder, but the one who, in case of doubt, asks for a different ladder or a different setting.
Unfortunately, too many pilots climb a dubious ladder when in doubt.

On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.

photo and article by Luis Vale, Portugal

17m Self-righting Pilot Boat by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Name: PILOT 62 Designer: Camarc Design Overall length: 17.3m Designed speed: 25 knots https://www.cheoylee.com/product/detail/66/ Performance • Innovation • Reliability • Quality • Service Ref: 5209 (sister-ship: 5210)

As a British supplier of driveline and propulsion solutions into the UK market, MIT was delighted to be involved in the 9 million pound investment into the industry by Associated British Ports (ABP) for a fleet of new pilot vessels to be built and supplied by Goodchild Marine Services Limited.