Maritime pilot

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A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. Legally the master remains in command of the ship. The pilot is a senior adviser only.

Their size and mass makes large ships very difficult to maneuver; the stopping distance of a supertanker is typically measured in miles 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.

Normally the pilot joins an incoming ship at sea via helicopter or pilot boat and climbs a swaying Jacob's ladder sometimes up 40 feet 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.

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.

External links

• Atlantic Pilotage Authority
• Australian Marine Pilots Association
• European Maritime Pilots Association

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Last updated on Friday February 01, 2008 at 01:03:02 PST (GMT -0800)
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