Pilot boarding Fremantle/Australia

The Viking Mars is a brand new cruise ship, built this year (2022). While it is a relatively small ship when it comes to cruise liners, it's still an imposing vessel. It's big enough to enable them to fit a planetarium, fitness center, hair salon, a spa, and the usual shops, restaurants and cabins. We have filmed quite a few vessels coming in and out of Holyhead port now, and the Viking Cruise Line ships are, without doubt, some of the most classy and good looking vessels about. Lovely...

SOLAS/IMO/IMPA Regulations require additional safety measurements for pilot's boarding and disembarkation since recently. These magnetic holders of two types, one is manually set and the other is a remotely controlled one, fixes both pilot ladder and accommodation ladder (gangway) strongly onto the hull of the ship. Thus, the pilot can climb more safely. We are negotiating with ISO, IMO, IMPA etc in order to standardize these items for pilot safety.

The local harbor pilot boards the 2GO Maligaya on the port side during her Monday noon arrival to Cebu from Manila
See my photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dareleven/

Here's the full video of recent sea trials with our two pilot boats including storm Ciara, three boats together and some boarding runs. Its quite an interesting little video with some great footage.

The entrapment problem of a pilot ladder has not yet been solved and has prompted Captain Francesco Aiello to seek a solution. His very simple idea (patented) has been internationally recognized as innovative.

Maybe the best pilot boat video of the year. What a great scenery!

This article was first published back in September 2021: Pilotage operations require close interaction between human and machines. This complex sociotechnical system is necessary to safely and efficiently maneuver a vessel in constrained waters.