Pilot's Eye View Docking at Terminal

The Bahamas has imposed a compulsory maritime pilot rule for all vessels, including cruise ships, at its ports since September 2025.

Improvements to pilots’ situation awareness (SA) in maritime navigation are critical to reducing human errors, which have caused 75% to 96% of marine accidents over the last few years.

This study addresses that gap by examining sustainability thinking not simply as an issue of awareness, but as a problem of training integration in a safety-critical professional context.

Video Showing a long bulk carrier ship Manoeuvring its way through narrow river channel.
Video Credit: Dave Avner

We had an amazing opportunity to go on a pilot boat with Captain Erick Gallagher and Captain Danny Gallagher, where we got a peek into their exciting jobs! Pilot boats transport maritime pilots between land and inbound or outbound ships. Video by bluewater.org, Blue Water Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

In it´s August 2022 monthly safety scenario, the Swedish Club describes an accident where a pilot had fallen into the water, after one of the side ropes of the ladder broke.

This video shows the Pilot Vessel "KOON" inside the Canal Acceso a Puerto La Plata when she arrived at Pilot Station Lanchas Del Este, La Plata Harbour, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
The video was filmed by @ultrabarqueros

Most pilot embarkations and disembarkations around the world, are still carried out using a traditional pilot ladder, consisting of wooden steps supported and secured by side ropes.

UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published grounding and recovery of a container feeder vessel and a tug in the approaches to the Humber Estuary in storm force conditions on 15 December 2018.