Article The new Pilot Vessel 'New York'
published on 14 April 2022
Video Falmouth Pilot Cutter Pellew
published on 1 July 2022
Built by Luke Powell and his working Sail Yard in Truro, Cornwall, launched in February 2020. The lines were taken from the Vincent, a Falmouth Pilot cutter built in 1852 for the Vincent family of St Mawes. She worked for 70 years as a pilot boat, finally retiring in 1922 and ending her days as a houseboat on the Percuil River very close to the yard where she had been built. When the idea to build a new pilot cutter of considerable size was born, the lines of Vincent were seen as the...
Article Gladding-Hearn Delivers New Launch to Maryland Pilots
published on 23 April 2021
The Association of Maryland Pilots took delivery of its fourth Chesapeake class launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation.
Since the Chesapeake class pilot boat was introduced by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2003, 22 have been delivered to 12 pilot associations throughout the United States.
Video Robust pilot boats of Netherlands and Belgium
published on 7 August 2020
These are some of the reliable sturdy Pilot boats of Netherlands and Belgium to bring and pick up Marine Pilots to and from commercial merchant vessels either inbound or outbound. The Marine Pilots are licensed PROFESSIONALS who have a thorough knowledge of a certain port and they guide the Master/Captain of commercial ships in and out of the foreign Seaport. Location: Steenbank Pilot Station, Flushing/Vlissingen Pilot Station, Wandelaar Pilot Station. Boats in order of appearance in this...
Video Belfast Pilot Boat Ben Madigan
published on 17 May 2022
This is the Ben Madigan pilot boat, one of the hard working fleet of Belfast Harbout pilot boats. ( I'm not sure but I believe this might be a Redbay Stormforce, built by Redbay boat builders at Cushendll. )
These fast, sturdy, boats have to ferry Belfast pilots out to large vessels coming in to Belfast harbour. Piloted vessels range from large tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, ferries and cruise liners, right down to barges and fishing boats. Not only this, Belfast Harbour pilots...
Video Taiwan’s first female maritime pilot|Taiwan News
published on 16 July 2024
As Taiwan’s first female maritime pilot, Huang Chao-ling battles wind and waves every day as she guides ships safely into port. Her profession is high-risk and ultra-specialized, requiring years of experience at sea. Huang’s remarkable career is featured in Episode 50 of "The Soul of the Craftsman," a video series produced by the General Association of Chinese Culture. As strong winds blow and the rope ladder sways, maritime pilot Huang Chao-ling clambers up the ship, so that she can guide...
Video Podcast: Making pilotage calls in adverse weather with Captain Joost Mulder
published on 20 August 2026
In this episode of the Wayfinder Podcast, we sit down with Captain Joost Mulder, a maritime pilot with over 20 years guiding vessels through the Port of Rotterdam, to break down how pilotage decisions actually get made in adverse weather. Captain Mulder walks us through: - How captains, pilots, and the harbor master share decision-making authority, and what happens when conditions turn borderline mid-transit - Why wind, more than current or wave height, is the biggest factor in port...
Opinion Pilot transfer arrangements - Sharing knowledge matters – but problems go beyond non-compliance to SOLAS itself
by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 23 September 2020
Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.