Maritime pilot

"pilot station" redirects here. For the city in Alaska, see Pilot Station, Alaska.

Columbia River Bar Pilot boat CHINOOK

A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel.

Pilotage is one of the oldest, least-known professions,^{[citation needed]} yet it is one of the most important in maritime safety. The economic and environmental risk from today's large cargo ships makes the role of the pilot essential.

History

A Nigerian pilot assist a U.S. Navy ship into the harbor at Lagos using nautical charts

The work functions of the pilot go back to Ancient Greece and Roman times, when locally experienced harbour captains, mainly local fishermen, were employed by incoming ships' captains to bring their trading vessels into port safely. Eventually, in light of the need to regulate the act of pilotage and to ensure pilots had adequate insurance, the harbours themselves licensed pilots.

Although licensed by the harbour to operate within their jurisdiction, pilots were generally self-employed, meaning that they had to have quick transport to get from the port to the incoming ships. As pilots were often still dual-employed, they used their own fishing boats to reach the incoming vessels. But fishing boats were heavy working boats, and filled with fishing equipment, hence a new type of boat was required.

Early boats were developed from single-masted cutters and twin-masted yawls, and later into the specialist pilot cutter. These were effectively light-weight and over-powered single masted boats with large steeply angled keels, making them deep draft under power and shallow draft in lighter sail.

Duties involved

Boarding is tricky, as both vessels are moving and cannot afford to slow down

Their size and mass makes large ships very difficult to maneuver; the stopping distance of a supertanker is typically measured in miles (kilometres) and even a slight error in judgment can cause millions of dollars in damage. For this reason, many years of experience in an operating area are required to qualify as a pilot.^{[citation needed]}

By far the most challenging part of any ship's voyage is the passage through the narrow waterways that lead to port and the final docking of the ship. The pilot brings to the ship expertise in handling large vessels in confined waterways and expert local knowledge of the port. In addition to bringing local maritime expertise on board, the pilot also relieves the captain from the economic pressures that can compromise safety. Instead of being part of the ship's crew, pilots are employed locally and therefore act on behalf of the public rather than of the shipowners.^{[citation needed]} However, masters of ships that call at only a few ports, such as a ferry, are issued a 'pilot exemption certificate'. Ships with an exempt ship master do not need to carry a pilot.^{[citation needed]}

Signal flag H(hotel) - Pilot on Board

Normally the pilot joins an incoming ship at sea via helicopter or pilot boat and climbs a pilot ladder sometimes up 40 feet (~12 metres) to the deck of the largest container and tanker ships. With outgoing vessels, a pilot boat returns the pilot to land after the ship has successfully negotiated coastal waters.^{[citation needed]}

Pilots specifically use pilotage techniques relying on nearby visual reference points and local knowledge of tides, swells, currents, depths and shoals that might not be readily identifiable on nautical charts without first hand experience in the waters in question.^{[citation needed]}

Beyond the experience and training of regular ship's captains, pilots also receive special, ongoing training to stay on top of their profession. Pilots are required by law in most major sea ports of the world for large ships.^{[citation needed]}

Remuneration

The Florida Alliance of Maritime Organizations reported that Florida pilots salaries range from US$100,000 to US$400,000 annually. This was similar to other US states with large ports.^[1] Columbia River bar pilots earn about US$180,000 per year.^[2] A 2008 review of pilot compensation in the United States showed that pay ranged from about US$250,000 to over US$500,000 per year.^[3]

Compensation varies in other nations. In New Zealand, according to the government career service, pilots earn NZ$90,000-120,000.^[4]

In popular culture

• The novel Shōgun by James Clavell features John Blackthorne, an English pilot serving on the Dutch warship Erasmus, which is shipwrecked on the coast of Japan.
• In the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Pirates of Penzance Frederic's father directs his nursemaid Ruth to apprentice him to be a pilot, but instead she mishears and indentures him to be a pirate till his 21st birthday.
• Dropping the Pilot, famous cartoon by Sir John Tenniel

See also

Nautical portal

• Cutter (boat)

References

1. ^ Peterson, Patrick (1 March 2010). "Harbor pilots steer clear of rule change". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 14A. http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100301/BUSINESS/3010303/1006/news01/Harbor+pilots+steer+clear+of+rule+change. 
2. ^ Jacklet, Ben (2004-10-19; updated 2009-10-30). "Columbia pilot pay attracts port’s eye". Portland Tribune. http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=26722. Retrieved 2010-07-15. 
3. ^ Dibner, Brent (December 8, 2008). "Review and Analysis of Harbor Pilot Net Revenues and Salary Levels". West Gulf Maritime Association. http://www.wgma.org/maritime/Dibner%20galtex%202008%20report.pdf. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 
4. ^ "Harbour Pilot/Kaiurungi Aka". Career Services/Rapuara. NewZealand.govt.nz. http://www.careers.govt.nz/default.aspx?id0=103&id1=J80261. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 

External links

• Marine Piloting
• Atlantic Pilotage Authority Canada
• Pacific Pilotage Authority Canada
• Coastal Pilots
• European Maritime Pilots Association