What skills do port pilots need?

Abstract

Port pilots have the important task to guide the vessel safely on the first and last part of its voyage between ports. In addition to safely guide the vessels, the pilots also have the responsibility to protect the environment and to increase the efficiency in the harbor. (IALA, 2012) What skills do port pilots need and how they acquire these is the main research question that this thesis’s will try to answer by using a literature review and semi-structured interviews as data collecting methods. Our conclusions of this is that the investigated literature and our interview agrees on that previous maritime experience as an officer is an important part of being a pilot that can understand the communication on the bridge, with tugs and cooperating between pilots. Despite that previous experience is so important, the international rules do not have this as a demand to become a port pilot. To educate the pilots in the local area knowledge, the CPA uses simulators, scale models and working next to an experience port pilot to let the experience and knowledge be passed on from pilot to pilot. It is also important to keep the pilots technological skills up to date to avoid accidents, this can be provided by the makers of IBS systems software’s.