”Deepsea pilotage is mandatory in Australia through the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait.”
Capt Lanaghan – who recently used his experience to
contribute to the new edition of Witherby Seamanship’s
Passage Planning Guide to the English Channel, Dover
Strait and Southern North Sea – says he also sees an
increasing new challenge being posed by the growing size
and reduced manoeuvrability of many ships at a time when
environmental pressure is curbing their power.
Deepsea pilotage isn’t confi ned to the Channel and the
North Sea – it’s in use in the Baltic Sea, the Malacca Straits
and the Bosporus Straits, as well as being mandatory for
vessels transiting the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait
in Australia.
The use of a deepsea pilot in the North Sea, Channel
and Skagerrak is ‘recommended’ by the International
Maritime Organization (IMO). But companies like NYK
who regularly use their services are in a very small
minority.
Pressure for compulsory carriage was stepped up in
2002, when the car carrier Tricolor sank in the Channel
following a collision with a containership. The wreck was
struck by two other ships in the next fortnight, despite the
presence of guard vessels, navigational warnings, and
buoys and Racon transponders.
However, international shipowners rejected moves to
beef up the IMO recommendation, arguing that ‘no
compelling need’ had been established for stricter require-ments
56 SUOMEN MERENKULKU J FINLANDS SJÖFART
and that ‘the function and perceived benefi t’ of
carrying a deepsea pilot in adverse conditions was
unclear. ‘The pilot cannot be a member of the ship’s crew
and his or her presence will not relieve the master of the
responsibility for safe navigation,’ the owners argued.
Mr Brooks says he fi nds such resistance ‘quite stagger-ing’
and a refl ection of the way the industry often tends to
take a reactive rather than proactive approach to safety.
Nevertheless, he adds, the last few years have seen growth
in demand, much of it fuelled by the tanker sector. ‘There
is a lot more focus on charterers taking deepsea pilots
now, and especially if a master has not transited the area
in the last six months,’ he says.
Capt Lanaghan says he loves the job and would recom-mend
it as a career choice for fellow seafarers. But he
worries about where the next generation will come from.
‘I’m passionate about training and education and it’s sad to
see the big reduction in cadet numbers since I came to sea.
I think demand for our services will increase because of
the growing complexities of navigation in this area, but it
will be a struggle to fi nd the people to follow in our
footsteps. We’ve already got many deepsea pilots who are
approaching the end of their careers, and the demograph-ics
of the industry are not good. Something has got to give
soon.’ •
The 61,775gt vehicle
carrier Cygnus Leader
operates a regular
service between the Far
East and Europe with
capacity for up to 5,415
cars and 162 trucks.
IMAGES: ANDREW
LININGTON