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Florida Harbor Pilots Association

Harbor pilots in Florida face many challenges in guiding large cargo ships and cruise ships through busy ports. Pilots must climb rope ladders up to 30 feet and then climb several flights of stairs to reach the ship's bridge. From there, they take control of navigating the ship while dealing with limited visibility from cargo containers and unpredictable recreational boaters. Pilots draw on years of specialized training to safely maneuver ships through narrow channels using tugboats, anticipating cross-currents, and coordinating with other ships and pilots. Their expert local knowledge and independent judgment are relied on to ensure continuous, efficient, and safe ship traffic.

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23 views2 pages

Florida Harbor Pilots Association

Harbor pilots in Florida face many challenges in guiding large cargo ships and cruise ships through busy ports. Pilots must climb rope ladders up to 30 feet and then climb several flights of stairs to reach the ship's bridge. From there, they take control of navigating the ship while dealing with limited visibility from cargo containers and unpredictable recreational boaters. Pilots draw on years of specialized training to safely maneuver ships through narrow channels using tugboats, anticipating cross-currents, and coordinating with other ships and pilots. Their expert local knowledge and independent judgment are relied on to ensure continuous, efficient, and safe ship traffic.

Uploaded by

api-157539785
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Florida Harbor Pilots Association

_________
NEWS

March 2015

THE PILOTING SYSTEM IN FLORIDA

Climbing rope ladders up to 30 feet high is common. The pilot must


then walk up six to eight flights of stairs to get to the ship's bridge to
meet the captain and take navigational control of the ship.

The Pilot's view from the bridge is not as good as one thinks. These
cargo containers block all visibility of recreational boaters nearby.

Florida's ports and harbors are full of recreational boaters, and pilots
must deal with their unpredictable behavior constantly.

Cross-currents in the harbor - those dark curved lines seen ahead of


the ship - can overpower a ship if the pilot does not anticipate them.

Large hydrodynamic forces are at work when two ships pass each
other. Here, the pilot on the cargo ship must pass at a very slow speed
with powerful tugs.

Most cargo ships and some cruise ships must use powerful tugboats to
maneuver in very tight confines of Florida's seaports. The pilot is
always directing the use of the tugboats to and from the dock.

FloridaPilots.com | @FLHarborPilots | FB.com/FloridaHarborPilotsAssociation

Florida Harbor Pilots Association


Page 2

Years of specialized training in ship handling in narrow channels


allow pilots to manage the risks of larger ship traffic.

Seaports never sleep. The majority of ships move at night, like this
cruise ship passing a cargo ship that unloads containers.

Pilots work as a team when multiple ships are underway. The


independent judgment of pilots ensures that ships are moved
safely, without regard to the commercial pressures that ship
captains are constantly subjected to by their employers.

The pilot stands on the 'bridge wing' of this cargo ship with the
captain and officer while maneuvering alongside the dock under
large cranes.

Pilots maintain around-the-clock service for all ships, like this oil
tanker approaching the dock.

Seaports and shipowners rely on the expert, real-time local


knowledge of a team of pilots to manage safe and efficient ship
traffic.

FloridaPilots.com | @FLHarborPilots | FB.com/FloridaHarborPilotsAssociation

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