Cargo ship crushes tugboat in Panama Canal

The British Tugowners Association are pleased to release to industry is latest guidance release, Recovery of Persons in Water (PIW) Guide to Good Practice for Small Vessels.

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

For "Der Spiegel", an experienced pilot and ex-captain analysed the accident of the freighter Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal for days, on the basis of documents. His conclusion: the captain and pilot made serious mistakes during the passage.

Following a surf riding and broaching incident and subsequent collision by an experienced vessel operator, QinetiQ have been undertaking extensive investigations into the risk mitigation and safety management of pilotage operations. This presentation looks to discuss the risks presented during pilotage services, and provide a critical review of vessel design and service delivery approaches to understand the potential risk mitigations and management of pilot boat safety.

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.

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

Bellomo (Unione Piloti) on ShipMag.it: “Reunification impossibile”

Port Phillip Sea Pilots are the vital link between Victoria and the world. Ports Australia spent the day with CEO Thorsten Werges at their pilot station in Queenscliff to get a glimpse into the 185-year-old organisation focusing on safety and sustainability.

Watch the Maritime pilot disembark Ocean Liner, Queen Mary 2

The Bollard Pull value, which can be interpreted as the maximum thrust that is developed for a specific amount of time by the propulsion systems of any vessel to the fullest , when it has zero speed in the forward direction, is the criterion that allows us to understand how suitable a tugboat is for a port maneuver or a towing operation.