San Francisco Shipping, Bar Pilot Transfer

"Person over board - all pilot boat crewmembers and pilots should be trained in recovery as realistic as possible. Don’t wait for a real emergency to find out that something doesn’t work as intended!"

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.

Brief footage of a maritime pilot disembarking the Disney Magic and boarding his pilot boat as we left Nassau in January 2022.

Clear statements from Fremantle Pilots and Fremantle Ports to ensure the safety of pilot transfers.

"Analysis of reports indicates that pilot ladders (Pilot Transfer Arrangements, or PTAs) and
intentional deviations from safety procedures remain the main causes of near misses..."

Manoeuvring large ships at close quarters and on shallow water is one of the most difficult aspects of shiphandling because of the complex hydraulic interactions depending on the ships' speeds, on the water depth and on lateral restrictions like in canals. Training is conducted both on meeting and on overtaking ships in shallow waters. This video shows how overtaking in a canal can easily fail.
More information: http://www.portrevel.com/3781-shiphan...

A wonderful poem by Gaylen K. Bunker found on YouTube. As read by the author from bis book "Poems".

New Pilot Vessel "SEA MASTER" / On board Bulk Carrier Ship "TAI HAWK" - Arriving at #Recalada #BoardingStation #KM239_1 #PuntaIndioChannel #RioDeLaPlata #Argentine Nueva Lancha de Prácticos "SEA MASTER" / A bordo del Buque de Transporte a Granel "TAI HAWK" - Llegando a Recalada #EstaciónDeEmbarque KM 239,1 del Canal Punta Indio, del Río de La Plata #Argentina This video (original sound) was filmed on board Bulk Carrier Ship "TAI HAWK" (IMO Number: 9284556) and shows the moment when the...

Award winning 15m wavepiercing pilot boat