What is the maritime pilot service? Types of maritime pilot services

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The pilot position plays an important role every time a transport ship enters and exits a port. However, not everyone in the logistics industry knows this term. To know the details of the maritime pilot service. Please refer to this article right away from experts in LEC Group!

What is the maritime pilot service?

Marine pilots are services to lead a ship when the ship enters and leaves a port or is moving within a port's waters or a complicated itinerary to ensure the safety of the ship, crew, and cargo.

The maritime pilot is the person who acts as a guide for navigation. Often experienced experts in ship control, regularly update all factors affecting on meteorological, hydrological, weather conditions, etc. related to fairways and wharves.

All types of ships, irrespective of their nationality and owners, are entitled to maritime pilotage upon arrival.

Types of maritime pilot services

• Sea pilots: transporting ships in coastal waters located in the territorial waters of coastal states where maritime conditions are complex.
• Navigator in the port (harbor port): leading ships in seaport waters including 2 steps:

            - Leading ships on the channel (pilot station).

            - Dispatching ships leaving or docking: providing consultancy and guidance services in certain port waters or maritime areas.

Required maritime pilotage zone

In accordance with current law. Mandatory maritime pilotage area is a restricted part of a port water area or offshore oil and gas exploitation area. It is determined from the pilot boarding area to the wharf, the wharf, the anchoring area, the transshipment area, the storm shelter area, the shipbuilding and repair factory, the offshore oil port and vice versa. When ships move, they must use the pilots to guide the ships according to the provisions of the Vietnam Maritime Code.

A mandatory maritime pilot area will include one or more navigational routes.

Cases exempt from maritime pilotage

• Foreign vessels with a gross tonnage of <10 GT.
• Vietnamese ships with a gross tonnage <2000 GT.
• Ships with captains who are Vietnamese citizens have been granted certificates of maritime professional competence. Or there is a certificate of the maritime pilot operating area appropriate to the ship and the maritime pilotage area in which the transport ship is operating, it is allowed to conduct the ship by itself but must notify the port authority in advance.

For cases exempted from the above-mentioned pilots. The captain is still allowed to request a pilot if necessary.

Pilotage time

• The captain or agent must send a request for pilotage to pilot companies by 6 pm. In case of changing the time for receiving a pilot or canceling a pilot's request, the pilot company must notify at least 2 hours in advance.

• From the time of receiving the request for pilotage, within 1 hour, the pilot company must notify the port authority. If the pilot because the train is delayed compared to the time and the wrong place has reported causing the train to wait a long time. Or move to another location, the pilot company must pay all waiting expenses to the shipowner.
• The pilot must be responsible for waiting at the agreed pilot pickup location no later than 4 hours. Calculated from the estimated time of taking the pilot to board the ship. If past the above time-limit, the request for pilotage is deemed to be canceled and the person requesting pilotage must pay in accordance with the charter.

With the above information, hope you have a more comprehensive view of the maritime pilot service. If you need assistance contact the LEC Group today!

LEC GROUP

Head Office: Road 4, Phu My 1 Industrial Zone, Phu My Ward, Phu My Town, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Add: No. 28 Thao Dien Street, Thao Dien ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

Hotline: (+84) 909 800 136 & (+84) 901 388 136.

Email: info@lecvietnam.com & thao.nguyen@lecvietnam.com

Website: https://lecvietnam.com/

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