Port Pilot

Role Description

Key Responsibilities

• Pilot vessels entering, departing, berthing, unberthing, anchoring, and transiting port and harbor areas.
• Assess vessel characteristics, draft, maneuverability, propulsion systems, and operational limitations.
• Review movement plans, port conditions, weather forecasts, tides, currents, visibility, and navigation information.
• Advise the vessel's master and bridge team on navigation and maneuvering.
• Use radar, ECDIS, AIS, GPS, VHF radio, and approved electronic navigation equipment.
• Coordinate with masters, bridge teams, tugboats, mooring teams, port control, terminals, and port authorities.
• Monitor vessel speed, heading, position, course, under-keel clearance, and maneuvering performance.
• Respond to changing conditions, equipment failures, restricted visibility, and navigational hazards.
• Respond to emergencies including propulsion, steering, or communication failures, grounding risks, and collision risks.
• Maintain pilotage, vessel movement, navigation, incident, and other required records.
• Report navigational hazards, infrastructure issues, marine incidents, near misses, and safety concerns.
• Participate in assessments, reviews, training, simulator exercises, drills, and procedure improvements.

Qualifications and Standards

• Maintain pilotage licenses, certifications, medical fitness, and other qualifications required by the relevant maritime authority.
• Maintain current knowledge of port layouts, channels, berths, local regulations, tidal conditions, currents, and restrictions.
• Comply with maritime, port, environmental, occupational health and safety, and vessel traffic regulations.
• Demonstrate professionalism, situational awareness, decision-making, communication, and safety awareness.