Article Interview with Marine Pilot Esil Abibula: Crossing the Northwest Passage
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 18 December 2019
The Northwest Passage is the approximately 5780 km long sea route that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean north of the American continent. It crosses the Arctic Ocean and its marginal seas as well as the associated sea lanes through the Canadian-Arctic archipel ago.
Roald Amundsen made his first complete successfully crossing in 1903-1906 via the route discovered by John Rae through the James Ross Strait, Rae Strait and Simpson Strait on the small ship Gjøa.
Video Insight into the work of the Italian pilots in Venice
published on 8 May 2021
Video The way of Pilot on boarding
published on 2 December 2021
The pilot plays a crucial role in the safe navigation of the vessel to her destination. Expert in the local waters, a Pilot is imperative to the Bridge Team. Berthing/un-berthing, anchoring, transiting narrow channels etc. are very specialized operations and require expertise of a very objective manner that results in efficient planning, monitoring and execution of safe passage. When a ship needs to enter or leave a harbor, marine pilots are sent aboard via a small pilot boat to safely...
Video Port of Stockton: River Pilots
published on 17 December 2019
The San Francisco Bar Pilots are one of the important cogs in our supply chain wheel. They are tasked with boarding the vessels eleven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge via a rope ladder often in rough seas and taking control of the vessels en route to the Port of Stockton. Once on the bridge of the ship, the Pilot oversees navigation and ensures the safe passage of ships into the Bay and through the Delta until it is secured alongside its berth at the Port. Without these Pilots the...
Video 8 Hours in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
published on 6 July 2019
Follow me as I travel around the world working on a container ship!
The mega container ship is alongside Kaohsiung for one day, I had 8 hours off between my watch, so i took the opportunity to explore Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Brought along my drone to take some shots at the beautiful architecture that Taiwan has to offer.
Video Port Revel Ship Handling in France | by National Geographic
published on 27 September 2020
They look like toy boats, but they serve a serious purpose. An outsider at this facility near Grenoble, France, may see grown men riding arounda lake in miniature ships. But these are pilots of the world's largest ships, and they're practicing navigation with meticulously engineered 1:25 scale models of real cruisers, tankers, and containerships. Port Revel Shiphandling Training Centre, in operation since 1967, has had more than 6,000 maritime pilots and merchant ship officers from all over...
Video Women Pilots at the Port of Houston with Howard Middleton and the First Woman Pilot Holly Cooper
published on 17 December 2025
By 2001, the Houston Pilots led the way in hiring minorities and women, and a few years later it formed a nonprofit called Anchor Watch, to offer scholarships to maritime students in need and boost opportunities for minority and women candidates. Captain Holly Cooper joined the Houston Pilots in 1994 as the group’s 151st pilot and the first woman to begin training as a deputy.
Video Dr Paul Luckin, AMSA survivability expert, on lifejackets
published on 6 October 2022
There are a number of things you can do to service and care for your lifejacket, including regular checks and maintenance, proper storage and ensuring you have one for every passenger on your vessel. But if you aren’t wearing it when an emergency occurs, it is very unlikely it will save your life.
We spoke with AMSA survival expert Dr Paul Luckin to learn more about lifejacket essentials.