Pilots Train News

Members of the Houston Pilots recently participated in two custom-built simulation courses vital to their Pilotage duties in the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston, the largest landlocked Port in America. Each course was two days long, and was provided by the Maritime Simulation Resource Center (MSRC), at their Quebec City, Canada-based facility. The Houston Pilots face a multitude of factors when piloting ships in their waterways, including weather and wind, particularly with large ships, a very small turning basin, as well as intricate 24/7 traffic management.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) will charter a Post-Panamax vessel before the opening of the expanded Canal to be used for training purposes in the Third Set of Locks. The Executive Vice President of Operations Esteban Saenz reported that the Panama Canal will charter a Post-Panamax ship to train pilots and tugboat captains that will assist in transits through the new lane. Saenz said the vessel will be used several months before the opening of the expanded Canal to test the new locks. "This is one of the best ways to train our pilots and tug captains in the joint effort required to transit through the two new lock complexes of the expanded Canal," said Saenz. He added that since 2011 the Panama Canal has promoted workforce training for the operation of the expanded waterway.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) informs it will charter a Post-Panamax vessel before the opening of the expanded Canal to be used for training pilots and tugboat captains in the Third Set of Locks. The Executive Vice President of Operations Esteban Saenz said the vessel will be used several months before the opening of the expanded Canal to test the new locks. "This is one of the best ways to train our pilots and tug captains in the joint effort required to transit through the two new lock complexes of the expanded Canal," said Saenz. He added that since 2011 the Panama Canal has promoted workforce training for the operation of the expanded waterway.

Captain Tom Jacobsen, President of Jacobsen Pilot Services, Inc., a long-time provider of pilotage for the Port of Long Beach, announced that Long Beach Pilots would be attending a training course at MarineSafety International (MSI) in San Diego. The four-day course is designed to combine an opportunity for the Pilots to review the principles of Bridge Resource Management (BRM) and to sharpen their skills in working with new types of tugs an advanced towing strategies. Captain Vic Schisler, an active Long Beach Pilot, will instruct the course. Principles learned such as clear pilot-to-tug communications, team planning and coordinated execution, will be practiced throughout the four days.

Seven Saint Lawrence Seaway Pilots completed a Bridge Resource Management course on March 24. The course placed emphasis on High Speed Operations and Procedures. A detailed review of the high-speed problem was conducted with emphasis on subjects such as wake effects, evacuation requirements, watch standing requirements, ARPA optimization, and vulnerabilities of HSC design.

Stephen Cummings and David Harris of the Brisbane Marine Pilots attended an Emergency Shiphandling course conducted September 13-17, 2004, at MarineSafety International's simulator training complex in Newport, RI. Topics covered included ship maneuvering in narrow channels and docking operations in tight quarters under difficult circumstances of wind and current. The pilots were also able to practice procedures for employing escort tugs using a computer model of the port of Brisbane, Australia. A new passenger terminal is being constructed in Brisbane, so procedures were developed and practiced for escorting and docking passengers ships.

Pilots from the port of Altamira, Mexico, attended special training at MarineSafety International's Newport Simulator Center from October 1 to 5, 2007. The training used a full mission bridge as an LNG carrier and a smaller simulator as a 55 tonne ASD tug. The exercises were interactive, with the pilot on the LNG carrier giving orders directly to the tug master. port personnel, who also attended the course. dock. terminal going into operation in August of 2006. personnel working at the new Altamira LNG terminal. shipments, without incident.

During the period 24-27 July MSI Newport conducted Shiphandling training for three Trinidad Pilots for the Point Fortin LNG Terminal. Captain Bill Mackay was the Instructor/Facilitator. This course uses a data base model of the Point Fortin LNG Terminal created by MSI, and is designed to hone the pilots skill in bringing various sizes of LNG carriers into Point Fortin and alongside the LNG Terminal there. The course places the pilots in difficult environmental and emergency situations. This program was tailored to specific company operations and objectives. Pictured left to right are: Captain Rick Comeau (MSI), Captain Matthew Caesar, Captain Ann-Marie Chapman, Captain Alfred McMillan, and Captain Bill Mackay (MSI).

Saint Lawrence Seaway Pilots completed a High Speed Craft Bridge Resource Management course on Jan. 20 at MarineSafety's Newport Center. The course included a detailed review of high speed operations, including the subjects of wake effects, evacuation requirements, watchstanding requirements, ARPA optimization, and vulnerabilities of HSC design. The course was facilitated and instructed by Captain Fred Bronaugh, MSI Newport Business Development Director, Captain Grant Parker, consulting instructor from Kingston Marine , and Captain Ed Lynch, MSI Newport Director.

On the Elbe River, the famous port of Hamburg's Nautical Institute had its final intake this year due to a shortage of prospective students. From now on it will be known as the Hamburg Institute for Ship Handling and Simulation, but for many years it sent highly trained young people to sea. Some of those, after gaining years of deep sea experience, returned to Hamburg to become river and docking pilots. The Port has two pilot stations and two pilotage authorities. The Harbor Pilots (Hafenlotsenbrüüderschaft), of which there are about 45, work from a beautiful brick building complete with clock tower on a point at the entrance to the port on the south side of the river where most of the docks are located.