Offshore Pilot transfer from ship to Pilot Boat

The Pacific Pilotage Authority says: "There is a common misunderstanding amongst vessel operators that vessels built prior to 2012 are exempt from some of the requirements for pilot transfer arrangements. This is incorrect...".

Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) and other individual MOB devices have been available for some years now and have evolved to incorporate a variety of different alerting methods and combinations. However, usage of these additional enhancements within UK Pilotage is still in its infancy.

The following article appeared in AIMPA magazine number 2 about the strength and testing of pilot ladders : There is much more information about pilot ladders in the AIMPA magazine, second issue, if you wish to read more you can download a copy at the bottom of this post.

President of the Marine Pilot Association, Hubert Kerr, said that the pilots will not be satisfied with just being placed on a priority list, but are instead advocating for the actual jab to boost their protection against COVID-19, given their interaction with persons from different countries daily.

The Pacific Pilotage Authority of Canada (PPA) has taken delivery of a new aluminium pilot boat from Ocean Pacific Marine of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Briggs Marine invited High Impact Media (https://media.hi-impact.co.uk/) to spend a few hours on one of our Pilot Launch Vessels to help us demonstrate the day to day efforts of our crew in Liverpool.

On March 15, 2021, about 1302 local time, the oil tanker Riverside with a crew of 21 and 2 pilots was transiting outbound from the port of Corpus Christi, near Ingleside, Texas, in a loaded condition when the vessel lost propulsion and struck the no. 4 loading dock at the Moda Ingleside Energy Center. 1 No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $550,000. The estimated property damage to the facility was $7 million.

U.S. Coastgard has published an update of their Recommendation for Pilot Transfer Arrangements in latest Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB).

"Recent deaths of maritime pilots while embarking commercial vessels highlight the risks of operating in an
unforgiving maritime environment. To ensure the safety of all personnel boarding a vessel at sea, the Coast
Guard reminds vessel owners and operators of the requirements contained in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter V, Regulation 23 and strongly recommends that owners and operators follow the recommendations within IMO Resolution A.1045(27) – Pilot Transfer Arrangements. "