Video How A Pilot Boards A Ship
published on 27 September 2020
Video Riding with the Savannah Pilots
published on 25 October 2020
Over the course of 4 days this August, I was afforded the opportunity and privilege of riding with the Savannah Bar Pilots for an article I was writing for a major maritime magazine. The pilots are given the responsibility of boarding a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean and safely navigating the vessel up the Tybee Road 9 (a name for the shipping lane that leads into the Savannah River), into the Savannah River, and into the Port of Savannah. The same is done in reverse when a ship is outbound...
Video Unayzah Express 2021 (Preparing Gangway) Container vessel
published on 19 August 2025
Video Pilot rejects unsafe pilot ladder in Izmir, Turkey
published on 18 May 2022
Video Pilot Ladder on Ships- Correct rigging procedure 2020
published on 8 January 2021
Correct method of rigging pilot ladder explained.
As explained, a large number of reports related to the use of pilot ladders which are too long relative to the vessel’s draughts. As a result, the excessively long ladders require shortening up before being deployed for boarding pilots. In these cases, ship crew shortens the pilot ladders, using D-shackles to choke the side ropes at the required height along the ladder’s length. In this method, the D-shackle is first secured to a hard point...