Captain Don Cockrill FNI

ChairmanUnited Kingdom Maritime Pilots’ Association

Technical AdviserInternational Maritime Pilots’ Association

Pilot - Port of London Authority

Ship – Port Interface

The Pilot, Master and Passage Planning

SOLAS regulation V/34:

“Prior to proceeding to sea, the master shall ensure that the

intended voyage has been planned using the appropriate nautical

charts and nautical publications for the area concerned, taking

into account the guidelines and recommendations developed by

the Organisation”

The Master’s Obligations

The STCW Code, Section A-VIII/2, Part 2 requires that a voyage plan be prepared before the commencement of each voyage.

The IMO Resolution A.893(21) on Guidelines for voyage planning:

“Voyage and passage planning includes appraisal, i.e. gathering all

information relevant to the contemplated voyage or passage;

detailed planning of the whole voyage or passage from berth to

berth, including those areas necessitating the presence of a pilot”..

The Master’s Obligations…

What is a Pilot?The Status varies depending on National Legislation:

• In France and Denmark the pilot is very much an adviser to the master but has legal liabilities and responsibilities.

• In the UK and other nations that have used the UK model to structure their own pilotage legislation - the pilot is

"any person not belonging to a ship who has the conduct thereof.”

As defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 and subsequently in the MSA 1996.

The important word here is “CONDUCT”.

The pilot may not merely be an adviser to the master

IMO Resolution A960 (23) requires that:

5.1 The master and the pilot should exchange information regarding navigational procedures, local conditions and rules and the ship’s characteristics. This information exchange should be a continuous process that generally continues for the duration of the pilotage.

5.2 Each pilotage assignment should begin with an information exchange between the pilot and the master………………... Additional information can be exchanged as the operation proceeds.

5.5 It should be clearly understood that any passage plan is a basic indication of preferred intention and both the pilot and the master should be prepared to depart from it when circumstances so dictate.

Conclusion

• Providing up to date port specific information to a ship prior to arrival can only be a good thing.

• Regardless of advance information exchanges, The ship is still required to generate its own Independent, SOLAS compliant passage plan.

• The best place for gaining the shared detailedunderstanding of the impending pilotage passage is on the bridge.

After the pilot has boarded!

Thank youfor

listening.