Columbia River Bar pilot transfer using helicopter

Video from Rob Munday Hoist Operator/Instructor at Blackcomb Helicopters & SR3 Rescue Concepts

#Pilotonboard #Durbanpilot #DangerousjobatSea #Seaman #Marino #Seafarers

It is not often that this blog is used to show bad practice, however in this case some pictures tell a whole story. Ship is compliant by design for rigging a combination. How about the operator(s)?

Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.

Bulk Carrier Ship "TOP MARINE"/ #RioDeLaPlataPilot/ Disembarking Maneuver/ On board #PiloVessel "COMETA" #ZonaComún #LaPlataRoads #RioDeLaPlata - 25th. July 2024 - 10:47 hs. (Local Time).- This video (original sound) was filmed on board Pilot Vessel "COMETA" and shows the Rio de la Plata Pilot, when he disembarked from the Bulk Carrier Ship "TOP MARINE". This maneuver occurred in #ZonaComún #RioDeLaPlata.- #ZonaComún #BoardingStation #RioDeLaPlata.- Date: 25th. July 2024. Time: 10:46...

Wind was blowing strong from the NE and the waves were becoming bigger and bigger by the time we reach a new client.
Crew didn't consider the rolling effect about to happen while changing heading in order to give lee when they prepared pilot ladder, so the requested 1.5m above the water was not that good.
I decided to abort and to give the vessel the chance to shorten it. In the next attempt they did it right and I was able to board safe

Maritime pilots board ships when waters are crowded or treacherous or when a passage is narrow to guide the captain and ship safely through the waters. The Cat operates between Bar Harbor, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The first half of 2021 is a testament to the organisation of DanPilot, a pilotage company that has been diligently adapting to a smaller market as a result of the fallout from Covid-19.

16mt HSLC CLASS ALUMINIUM PILOT BOAT engineered & build by LYNX.