Cargo ship crushes tugboat in Panama Canal

State regulators on Friday banned cargo ship pilots from using personal cellphones on Maryland waters. The Maryland Board of Pilots, which oversees cargo ship pilots, approved a rule change 10 months after, and in direct response to, the Ever Forward's weekslong grounding in the Chesapeake Bay. Instead of leading the team on the bridge of the Ever Forward, the pilot was on his phone for an hour, texting, sending emails and taking screenshots before running aground and getting stuck for 45...

A bulk carrier was departing port with a pilot on the bridge to assist with the undocking and manoeuvre downriver. The operation was also assisted by two conventionally propelled tugs, one forward and one aft.

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

Dredger OCEANLINE 5001 sailing at full speed struck anchored tanker STROVOLOS with moored alongside supply vessel, at around 1140 LT (UTC +8) Oct 2, on Melaka anchorage, Malaysia, Malacca Strait. The results can be seen on video – tanker suffered portside hull breach above waterline and apparently, some damage on cargo deck.

Itajai, Brazil. Photo and video

The Pacific Pilotage Authority says: "There is a common misunderstanding amongst vessel operators that vessels built prior to 2012 are exempt from some of the requirements for pilot transfer arrangements. This is incorrect...".

Experiences of a Pilot: The port's chief pilot talks about his work, "what we do is not well known in the city", and about the risk they run, "on a bad day we can get scared", he says.

To minimize the risk of a vessel allision with a terminal gantry crane, the American Harbor and Docking Pilots Association recommends that all terminal operators with gantry cranes adopt the following Best Practices.

Video by Capt.Harold Janda