Hualien port pilot boat No. 41101

Engage Marine has announced that it recently awarded the marine pilot transfer services contract by the Port of Townsville.

The Port of Klaipeda in Lithuania has placed an order for two pilot boats in a series to be built by Estonia-based Baltic Workboats. The contract for the vessels has an estimated value of €6.5 million (US$7 million).

Finnpilot Pilotage Ltd has reinforced its long-standing partnership with Marine Alutech by placing an order for another Watercat 160 Pilot vessel. This latest acquisition marks the sixth vessel of the new 160 Pilot Series for the Finnish Pilotage organisation’s fleet.

The American Pilots’ Association has sent a letter to state pilotage authorities across the United States on behalf of approximately 1,200 American ship pilots to improve safety pilot safety following the death of a New York pilot in December.

Qualified pilots are usually employed by the local port or maritime administration, and provide their services to ships for a fee, calculated in relation to the ship’s tonnage, draught or other criteria.

An authentic report by Marine Pilot Capt. Agha Umar Habib (Port of Sohar, Oman) about a dramatic incident on July 23, 2019.

"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..."