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.

Chief officer of bulk carrier İNCE EGE fell into water from pilot ladder while trying to read draft marks at Taman port, Russia, Black sea, understood early in the morning Feb 4, at nigh time.

Tanker went out of control after engine failure and collided with general cargo ship in Kiel Canal near Kiel locks, at around 0120 LT Jul 27.

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. "

Every day, Columbia River Bar Pilots guide massive cargo ships and tankers between the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River, negotiating the Astoria bridge. Their job is to make that voyage often and make it safely, so you'd better believe they're paying attention to what happened in Baltimore. Read more: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/columbia-bar-pilots-river-baltimore-bridge-collapse-cargo-ship/283-e3770397-292c-49e2-a7fd-b0d2db6ccdb1 Watch more The Story videos: http://...

IMPA has just released the results of the annual IMPA safety campaign, please have a look at the document.

In our new new section “Five questions for ..." Marine-Pilots.com introduces pilots and other market players to our readers in short interviews.

Today we are happy to start with Capt. Ahmed Sati, Marine Pilot at P&O Maritime.