Pilot Fabio Fontes in action - 04/03/2023

The Associated Federal Pilots in Metairie, La., has ordered a Chesapeake-class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. The pilots’ first launch, built by the Massachusetts-based shipyard, is scheduled for delivery in July 2021.

Although it cannot be said that ship piloting is the world’s oldest profession, most maritime experts do agree that pilotage does date back to antiquity.

In December 2020, Australian Pilot Captain Ritesh Bhamaria was expertly piloting oil tanker MT Godam through the Torres Strait in adverse weather conditions when he and the vessel crew sighted a distant hand waving for help in the rough sea.

The All India Maritime Pilots' Association has released its new journal for February

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A pilot ladder is a highly specialized form of rope ladder, typically used on board cargo vessels for the purposes of embarking and disembarking pilots.

It has been exactly one year ago that a pilot from Sandy Hook (New York), Dennis Sherwood, died in the line of duty while attempting to board the container vessel Maersk Kensington.
What has happened since then? Has safety been improved for the pilots?

Around 11 am local time yesterday (21 February), a pilot fell into the sea while boarding the feeder vessel Blue Ocean, which is operated by Shanghai Jinjiang Shipping on a China-Taiwan service.