Pilot Fabio Fontes in action - 04/03/2023

For 170 years, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have been navigating the world’s largest ships through some of North America’s most difficult waterways. These state and federally-licensed master mariners are highly-specialized ship captains who rely on navigational experience, ship-handling skills, and local knowledge to transport more than $1.2 billion in goods to and from 200 Bay Area ports, docks, and berths every day. This critical service protects more than 1,000 miles of fragile coastline...

The transfer of Marine Ship’s Pilots by helicopter hoist is a demanding task. These 24/7, severe weather missions require detailed training in all phases of the operations and focus on the “team’s” capabilities is essential in all phases of the operations and focus on the “team’s” capabilities is essential.

Local Harbour Pilot boat in choppy sea at Ramsgate Kent England, filmed on 2.4.25

The maritime sector is experiencing a significant shift due to escalating environmental issues, changing regulatory frameworks, and heightened public demands for sustainability. During this transformation, marine pilots are essential;

Suez Canal, Egypt
LS. Ship on Canal. Various shots of Russian Red Pilots, walking along quayside, having conversation continuing their walk, looking in a manual, before boarding launch. MS. Pilots on launch, flag flying. Panning shot of Tanker. Various shots, looking up at men on tanker deck, man climbing up a rope ladder onto deck. (F.G.)
FILM ID:2556.13

The next step for NZMPA is to issue a set of regulator-endorsed guidance notes. The first version will focus on accommodation ladders used in conjunction with pilot ladders.

The ETA Nautical Technical Committee has worked together with the European Maritime Pilots Association in order to define a series of recommendations for tugboat captains, pilots and harbour masters which will help them optimise the energy efficiency on the tugs and the assisted vessels during harbour towage operations. These recommendations are based on 3 main principles: Planning, Cooperation and Communication.

For 174 years, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have been safely navigating the world’s largest ships through some of North America’s most challenging waterways.

This what a normal work day looks like for a port pilot.
A 24 hour shift shown in 11 minutes.
Recorded in Santa Marta, Colombia.