Pilotage

Pilotage is compulsory within the Haven for all ships of 50 metres or more in length overall except:

1. General Lighthouse Authority tenders;
2. Ships which are moving from one berth to another within a dock;
3. HM ships and certain vessels owned or controlled by HM Government.

Such vessels are to be provided with either a pilot or have on board a holder of a Pilotage Exemption Certificate.

The Authority employed 14 pilots during 2002 and between them they undertook 3,830 acts of pilotage amounting to 38% of total movements.

2002 also saw the introduction of a revised pilotage training requirement including re-familiarisation procedures for those pilots returning from long-term sickness as well as revalidation of authorisation procedures as required under the Port Marine Safety Code.

A further positive step as made with the introduction of additional ports which are suitable for our pilots to be overcarried to, further improving our customer service.

The overcarriage ports are – Falmouth, Lynas (Liverpool), Dublin, Breaksea (Bristol Channel), Cork, Belfast and New Ross.

Two Pilot Vessels

Certain vessels over 65,000 g.t. and all vessels over 80,000 g.t. are provided with two pilots. The charge pilot conducts the navigation of the vessel and is responsible to the ship’s master. The second pilot is provided to brief the bridge team on the information that they need to complete the vessel’s passage plan and handle the communications with the ship, Port Control, tugs, line boats and terminal. In view of the large quantities of oil involved in these sizes of vessels a further benefit of this system is that it is both a valuable training tool and also provides a back up in the event of either a mistake or sudden illness occurring to the charge pilot.

Exemptions

Pilotage Exemption Certificates may be granted to the master or chief officer of vessels that regularly trade to Milford Haven and can demonstrate a competence equivalent to that of a pilot. The difference being that for exemption certificate holders they can only pilot a restricted number of vessels to certain zones, whereas a pilot is expected to handle any vessel to all zones.

Milford Haven Pilotage Directions

These Pilotage Directions are given by the Milford Haven Port Authority, and the Dockyard Port of Pembroke in pursuance of Section 7 of the Pilotage Act 1987. Nothing contained in these Directions relieves the master of his overriding obligation to ensure the safe conduct of his vessel.

1. Pilotage is compulsory within the Haven for all ships of 50 metres or more in length overall except:
    
   1. General Lighthouse Authority tenders
   2. Ships which are moving from one berth to another within a dock
   3. H M ships and certain vessels owned or controlled by H M Government
       
2. Ships within the Haven including for the avoidance of doubt ships located between the seaward boundary of the Haven and the designated pilot boarding/landing points shall comply with the directions of the pilot but in the event of a pilot not being on board, ships shall also comply with the directions of the Milford Haven Port Authority given by its port control.
    
3. In agreed circumstances/conditions of bad weather the pilot boarding/landing point for certain vessels up to 25,000 dwt shall be in the vicinity of South Hook Buoy ( 51 º 42.1’ N 5 º 06.7’ W) provided that:-
    
   1. The master has a good working knowledge of English and is familiar with the port
   2. The master, pilot and port control have agreed the passage procedure taking into account the following:-
      1. The ability of a pilot to supervise entry/departure.
      2. Size of vessel
      3. Draft and freeboard
      4. Visibility
      5. Sea and swell conditions
      6. Other traffic
      7. Vessel’s charts
      8. Shore radar status
      9. Navigation aid status
      10. Boarding/landing position
      11. Any other relevant factor
           
4. For purpose of these Directions the following definitions apply:-
   
   “the Haven” means:-
    
   1. All waters over which the Milford Haven Port Authority have jurisdiction (the seaward limit of which is an imaginary line commencing at the western extremity of Studdock Point and drawn in a south-easterly direction to the point of intersection of latitude 51° 36.5’N with longitude 05° 03.7’W, thence in a westerly direction to the point of intersection of latitude 51° 36.5’N with longitude 05° 16.7’W thence in a northerly direction to the point of intersection of latitude 51° 41.1’N with longitude 05° 16.7’W and thence in an easterly direction to the south western extremity of St. Ann’s head).
      and
   2. the docks and works belonging to the Milford Docks Company and the waters over which they have jurisdiction.
      and
   3. The docks and works belonging to the Dockyard Port of Pembroke and the waters over which they have jurisdiction.