Maryland bans cellphone use by cargo ship pilots

The Maryland Board of Pilots has decided to enact a rule change that forbids on-duty pilots from using their phones.

Efforts to free the giant container ship are continuing after the 400m-long vessel became stuck in the Suez canal. Local authorities attempted to dislodge the 220,000 ton vessel from the banks of the canal using tug boats, but the megaship remains stuck more than one day after it ran aground.

A container ship is reported to be stranded off the coast of Gibson Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Marine Tracker lists the ship as the Ever Forward and that it is aground. It appears there are several tugboats out of Baltimore trying to assist. The company that operates the ship, Evergreen, is the same one that was responsible for the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal a year ago.

A containership arriving in Taiwan hit the berth after traveling in excess of the harbor speed according to reports from the port authority and Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau. They are confirming media reports that the pilot assigned to the vessel was legally intoxicated at the time of the incident.

In this study, it was tried to determine the deaths and causes of active pilots (under 65 years old according to the legislation) during the 62 years between 1961 and 2023 in Turkey. Deaths during the retirement period were not included in the study.

IMPA has just released the results of the annual IMPA safety campaign, please have a look at the document. This year the non-compliances worldwide vary from 5% up to 70%....You can check your working area in the attachment.

長崎県に入港するクルーズ船「ダイヤモンド・プリンセス」を誘導していた水先人の男性が海に転落し、男性はその後、死亡が確認された。 死亡したのは、水先人の大須賀祥浩さん(69)。 長崎海上保安部によると、5日午前5時半ごろ、パイロットボートから無線で「客船に移乗させる際にパイロットが海中に転落した」と通報があった。 大須賀さんは長崎港の入り口付近で海に転落し、クルーズ船の救命艇に救助されたが、およそ2時間後に死亡が確認された。 男性は5日に長崎に入港したクルーズ船「ダイヤモンド・プリンセス」を誘導する業務にあたっていた。

The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the contact of the Miss Mollye D tow with the Route 182 bridge was a loss of control of the tow by the pilot at the helm of the towing vessel, likely due to impairment by factors such as fatigue or drug use.

The Port of Townsville has welcomed the newest addition to its fleet of pilot boats with the arrival of the newly built Mantaray. The $3.3 million, custom-built vessel utilises high-tech equipment and design to maximise safety and efficiency for pilot transfers.

There are a number of things you can do to service and care for your lifejacket, including regular checks and maintenance, proper storage and ensuring you have one for every passenger on your vessel. But if you aren’t wearing it when an emergency occurs, it is very unlikely it will save your life.
We spoke with AMSA survival expert Dr Paul Luckin to learn more about lifejacket essentials.