The Port of Seville has new maritime navigation aids for the pilotage service.

I am not a computer savvy. My knowledge in programming and robotics and those sort of things is nil. I get lost in the sea of social media and easily entangle myself in the web. All I have done for the last 25 years or so is to pilot ships through the Panama Canal. However, during the last couple of years I have done my best to catch up with technology, since it has enhanced our possibilities and improved safety in our field. But still, I have to admit that I am way behind the new guys in this important issue.

Qastor was first released in 1998 and has become the benchmark in pilotage software in the years to follow.

The software has evolved from being just a navigational aid to an essential tool to support the day to day activities of the marine pilot.

OPERATIONAL NOTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by UKMPA, February 2017
The introduction of modern lightweight Portable Pilot Units (PPU) for use during pilotage has proved to be another major advance for pilotage operations worldwide.

Maritime pilots trace the roots of their profession back to the ancient Greeks and Romans when incoming ship captains employed experienced local fisherman to guide their merchant vessels safely into port. It’s a legacy of skill, strength, and sharp wits, and our Houston Pilots (“Pilots”) have been meeting vessels at Galveston’s bar to carry on these proud traditions for just shy of 100 years.

A handy and simple tool to determine in a minimum time what is really needed as tug assistance, is the Bollard Pull Calculator which calculates in an approximate way the total required tug power for ships in various conditions of wind and current. This tool can be loaded as an app on the smart phone.

Rebuilding a historic sailing yacht – Visiting Luke Powell’s latest Pilot Cutter / Planking a traditional wooden ferry boat. Support; http://www.sampsonboat.co.uk/support-tally-ho Become a Patron; http://www.patreon.com/sampsonboatco ----- THIS episode, I visit local boatbuilder Luke Powell and his team, who are building an enormous Pilot Cutter called Pellew, which is a copy of the Vincent, originally built in 1852. Then I head back to Butler & Co’s yard in Penpol, and explain how I fit...

According to a report today by www.MaritimeBulletin.net a mooring boat was rammed from a container ship and sunk.

This safety video examines the safe set-up of pilot ladders and details the safety checks that should be carried out before using a plot ladder to ensure a safe boat transfer.

Impressions of the year 2021.

Take a look!