As the page heading suggests, this section is dedicated to pilotage issues. In particular, we would like to bring to light and promote a new pilotage paradigm. Pilotage is, in essence, a well established risk reduction methodology. Although pilotage reduces risks and has a proven track record for safety, unnecessary accidents
continue to happen. There is room for improvement!
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One of the fundamental principals of bridge resource management (BRM) is that of ''the challenge''. That is to say, if one bridge team member is not sure of the actions of the other, that person challenges the action. The challenge can only be forthcoming if certain
conditions are in place, one of which is a common plan.
If the ship's navigators and the pilot are not working from a common plan, if they do not have the same ''mental model'' of the transit – then BRM cannot work.
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Since its inception and even today in many parts of the
world, pilotage remains a dark art jealously guarded by
its custodian pilots. The practice follows a well established routine: Once on board and with only the most cursory exchange of information, the pilot takes the con and begins giving helm or course-to-steer orders. The ship's bridge team are left scrambling to fix the vessel's position and guess if the actions of the pilot are appropriate.
We would like to propose an improved methodology.
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A higher level of safety could be attained if pilotage passage plans were published thus allowing crews to incorporate these plans into their own berth to berth passage plans. Any last minute changes due to dredging, waterway works, or some other event could quickly be communicated to the bridge team by the pilot upon boarding. As the vessel is being conned by the pilot, the ship's bridge team are now in a position to challenge if things do not look right.1 BRM in its truest sense can be put into practice. Of course, even if everyone is ''singing from the same songsheet'' accidents can still happen. For BRM to be fully leveraged other best practices must be used as well.
The papers listed on the left, some authored by SafeShip personnel and some by other concerned marine professionals, are dedicated to promoting this new pilotage paradigm.
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