Delaware River Pilot Boat Transfers

Delaware River Pilot Boat Cape Henlopen Transfers Pilot to Cargo Ship Al Wathba - Delaware River - Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania - June 6, 2025

River Mersey Pilot Boat going slowly inbound on the river before turning and heading northbound again.

Delaware River Pilot Boat Overfalls Working the Delaware River - Paulsboro, NJ - March 18, 2025

Breaux’s Bay Craft, Loreauville, La., delivered the new 90’x23’x12’4″ aluminum pilot boat Spindletop to the Sabine Pilots on March 6. The Sabine Pilots, Port Arthur, Texas, serve the Texas ports of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. “This is the biggest pilot boat built in the U.S.,” said Roy Breaux, the shipyard’s owner. “There are bigger ones in other parts of the world, but this is the largest in the U.S.”

I took a break from fixing a Chevrolet to spot Grays Harbor pilot boat Vega out in the harbor during sea trials after a top end rebuild on one of her mains. Impressive watching these guys messing around and confidently performing maneuvers. We now return to your regularly scheduled car content.

Sanmar Shipyards is celebrating completing a record number of vessels within one calendar month, with six tugs and two pilot boats gaining their class certificates during January 2022.

Southwest Alaska Pilots Association’s new Gladding and Hearn built, C Raymond Hunt designed pilot boat disembarks Capt. Ron Ward at Bligh Reef Pilot Station in Prince William Sound, Alaska March 2020

Luke Sorensen began his career as a Marine Pilot in 2011. Now the Manager of Pilotage Services, North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP), he mentors Pilots moving through the NQBP Training Framework to become competent and confident in bringing ships into berth at our ports. Luke explains the process of mentoring.

Maersk will begin implementation of an innovation called Snap Back Arrestor (SBA) ropes on the mooring lines used to hold vessels in place while docked in port for loading and unloading. Mooring is one of the most dangerous aspects of port and vessel operations.