Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association Magazine 68th edition - June to September/2024
Risk management on access to Babitonga
We chose a nautical map to be cover of this edition, since a photo would not illustrate so well the challenges at the access to Babitonga Bay (Santa Catarina-SC State). This is the 13th article of the Rumos Práticos series on the 20 Brazilian Pilotage Zones. Sailing through narrow channels followed by 90-degree bends is only one of the obstacles confronted by the pilots in Itapoá and São Francisco do Sul, nicknamed São Chico.
Next is a list of the main issues addressed in the 2nd Port Planning Seminar, again hosted by Brazilian Pilotage in Rio de Janeiro. More than 150 people attended the event accompanied by almost 600 Internet viewers, over 79 hours of broadcasting, spreading a fundamental topic for safe shipping and port efficiency.
We also take stock of the powers of the National Pilotage Council delegated by the Brazilian Navy, which completes 25 years next year. Among them is the coordination of the Pilot Refresher Course (ATPR), which Brazil pioneered and is an international benchmark.
In fact, we are also an active model in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In yet another action of the organization’s Brazilian delegation, attended by pilot Marcelo Cajaty, we successfully increased the safety in Santos Bay by recommending two areas where the traffic of merchant ships should be avoided.
Another of our ongoing topics in the IMO is the decarbonization process of the global maritime fleet. To do so, we interviewed sea and war captain Fernando Alberto Gomes da Costa, affairs coordinator of the organization’s Environmental Protection Committee. He says that the adaptation rate in the sector is not enough to meet the targets to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions. And the scenario in the Brazilian ports is not very different, according to the analysis of Gilmara Temóteo, executive-director of the Brazilian Association of Port and Waterway Entities (Abeph).
We close the edition with another two texts. First, we interviewed Isaquias Queiroz about his plans for Los Angeles 2028. Supported by Brazilian Pilotage, the canoeist visited us soon after making history in Paris, with his fifth Olympic medal. The athlete went on board a moored ship, together with the vice-president of our institution, pilot Marcello Camarinha. On the bridge, he learned how the service works, including the importance of exchanging information between captain and pilot prior to the maneuver (MPX). The main points to be checked at that time are addressed in the magazine’s final article, by retired pilot Ed Verbeek.
Enjoy!
Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association
Av. Rio Branco, 89/1502 – Centro – Rio de Janeiro – RJ – CEP 20040-004
Tel.: 55 (21) 2516-4479
conapra@conapra.org.br praticagemdobrasil.org.br
director president of Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association
Bruno Fonseca de Oliveira
director vice-president
Marcello Rodrigues Camarinha
directors
Felipe Perrotta Bezerra
Jelmires José Galindo Junior
Ricardo Augusto Leite Falcão (vice-president of IMPA)
Rumos Práticos
planning
Otavio Fragoso/Flávia Pires/Katia Piranda
editor
Otavio Fragoso
writer
Rodrigo March (journalist in charge)
MTb/RJ 23.386
translation
Elvyn Marshall
revision
Julia Grillo
layout and design
Katia Piranda
pre-print
DVZ Impressões Gráficas
cover
Nautical Chart – Brazilian Navy Hydrography Center
and
ZP-18: Overcoming limits
Port Planning Seminar joins the sector’s calendar
A list of National Pilotage Council duties
Extended safety in Santos Basin
Decarbonization: Progress in the maritime industry is not yet enough to reach the targets
Isaquias Queiroz outlines his plans for Los Angeles 2028 MPX: beyond the basics
São Francisco Pilotage
Francisco
JOINVILLE
Overcoming limits
In São Chico, pilotage works “miracles”, defying a narrow channel and 90º bends with larger ships
EXTERNALCHANNEL
Southern Gas Terminal
Itapoá Port
Pilot Boarding Station
Steering ships at the entrance and exit of the Babitonga Bay ports (Santa Catarina state) requires precision navigation to prevent accidents amid structural issues. Access to the bay is through a narrow external channel 160 meter in width, followed by a 90-degree bend. After the Terminal Gás Sul (TGS) and private Itapoá Port, access to the public port of São Francisco do Sul is by an internal channel bordered by shallow areas and rocks, also finalized by a practically 90o bend, with a cross current at the entrance and exit of the vessels. In August, Rumos Práticos visited Pilotage Zone 18, in the 13th article of the series on the 20 Brazilian ZPs.
The external bend is 4.3 nautical miles long and 14 meters in depth. And there are prohibited crossings. Considering its design and international port planning recommendations, it was restricted to ships 46 meters in width. In 2009 it was designed for container vessels 270 meters in length and 40 meters in width, which, at that time, were already small. The contribution of São Francisco Pilotage in nautical studies, however, optimized the operating parameters. Today, the channel can be accessed by ships 336 meters in length and 51 meters in width, and also 350 by 48 meters (both on trials).
“The 90o bend is a problem both for entering and leaving the bay. Especially a challenge at the exit. With large ships, we end up using almost the entire escape area of the curve. It isn’t a very usual design,” comments pilot Marcio Fausto.
Due to the restriction of the bend and active currents, a second pilot is mandatory in the external channel during maneuvers with larger container carriers. And they should have the support of a portable pilot unit (PPU), a tablet connected to antennas installed in the ship’s wing providing more accurate data than the systems aboard.
For safety’s sake, the heavier loaded vessels’ passage around the curve (more subject to the current) needs to close in the imminent high tide, so that the ship does not roll so much. In order to overcome the curve, the ships must sail at a speed of more than eight knots. The maximum operating keel is 12.80 meters. In the case of larger container carriers, the night-time limit is 11.50 meters.
The heavy bulk carriers – above 12.50 meters of draft – leaving the port of São Francisco do Sul are forced to make an intermediate
PILOT MARCIO FAUSTO ON MANEUVER DURING BRIEF OPERING OF THE BAR
ph
oto:
Gustavo Stephan
anchorage and await the next tidal window, since they are unable to cross the entire channel in time, due to the low engine capacity. At the entrance of a heavy ship to the public port, this anchorage is also mandatory to wait for the ideal condition, due to the existence of the cross current and dangers close to the access. The internal approach channel to the port is 2.5 nautical miles.
Rumos Práticos accompanied a 12.80 meter draft bulk carrier leaving berth 301, one of the three leased to the Santa Catarina Port Terminal (Tesc). Four tugs were used in the maneuver, standing by in case of emergency. While the ship turned in the evolution basin to approach the channel on its way to anchor, pilot Lauri Rui Ramos had to give full power ahead. This is because the vessel fell quickly towards the rocks.
“You can’t hesitate, since the bulk carrier is very heavy, going against the current. The ship takes time to move. You can’t wait too long, otherwise you won’t be able to stop it. This ship is very difficult to maneuver”, he explains.
The environmental conditions add to the structural issues. July, August and September, for example, are foggy months. In August, the entrance bar was closed for five days because of visibility, which must be one nautical mile.
“I’ve never seen this here in 15 years. Generally, closure lasts no more than one and a half days", pilot Marcio Fausto reports.
The pilot's maneuver which was accompanied by Rumos Práticos took place during a gap in this closure, when the bar opened and later had to be interrupted again, at the moment when pilot Sergio Velloso maneuvered a bulk carrier 277-meter in length and 40 m in width, with an 11.40-meter draft.
“We’re always looking for gains in productivity, but there are times when visibility is zero and we have to abort the maneuver in progress, as happened today. As I was starting to turn to begin navigation, visibility in the external channel closed completely and we had to return to the berth, since there was no available anchorage”, explains Sergio.
ph oto:
Gustavo Stephan
According to pilot Lauri Rui Ramos, it’s not uncommon to enter the channel with visibility already slightly restricted and then being unable to see anything at all, at a point of no return:
“At those times, we have to sail using instruments and our own experience. Sometimes we cannot see a signal buoy at all. This doesn’t happen very often because we plan everything very well to avoid such situations.”
When the bar was finally reopened, seven maneuvers were performed at dawn and three in the early morning, to normalize the operations. The pressure for the pilotage operator increases with several calls at the same time. He follows the port’s operating schedule and Port Authority safety procedures.
“It’s not easy to manage all this maneuver-marking logistics. It doesn’t mean just marking them. We schedule the best timetable, we assess each ship’s restriction and the clearance below the keel, and also calculate the current expected at each point of the ZP, so that the ship doesn't pass through the external channel bends in the strong current. The major problem is to do so rapidly, because, when the bar reopens, we need to perform maneuvers at the drop of a hat, since it can also close rapidly. And we must not forget to
inform everyone involved in the operation: ship, mooring, port, tugs, mariners and pilots”, emphasizes operator Fabiano Junior.
Strong winds at any time of the year are another condition that could complicate maneuvers, sometimes exceeding 40 knots (almost 80km/h). The maximum sustained limit is 22 knots. But surprises can happen, as pilot Sergio Velloso experienced when leaving berth 302 in Tesc:
“I was leaving with a light ship and a 60-knot southwester arrived. I thought about aborting and returning to berth, but the tugs were unable to secure the ship for its return. I told them to pull as hard as they could, and the ship was being dragged. There was a very strong wind in the vessel’s exposed sail area. I noticed that berth 201 was free. So I let the ship be dragged, gave it all its strength and entered the berth as an emergency.”
Pilot Lauri Ramos recalls that very often the winds cause high waves, which increase the boarding and disembarking risk of the pilot outside the bar:
“Sometimes disembarking is even more dangerous, since you move from a more stable platform (the ship) to a motorboat moving a lot.”
ph oto: Gustavo Stephan
PILOT SERGIO VELLOSO ON ENTRY TO ITAPOÁ PORT
São Francisco Pilotage has five pilot motorboats, two of which have a hydraulic platform on the stern to facilitate removal from the water in case of a pilot overboard. A third device is being installed in another motorboat.
“It is a major problem to remove the pilot if unconscious. The seamen, in addition to rescue teams and firemen, need to have means to bring him aboard with the least possible injury”, defends pilotage CEO Roberto Castanho.
The pilot motorboats are repaired at the base. Since 2018, the pilot station has combined in the same space all the administrative and operational facilities, in front of Itapoá Port and the entrance to the bay. The operations center is fitted with modern communication equipment, environmental and vessel traffic control. In addition to sharing the ports’ environmental sensors, the pilot station has two weather stations installed in the headquarters and on Ilha da Paz, outside the bay. The building also has accommodation, training and crisis management rooms and a bridge.
The simulator is used to train pilots for emergency maneuvers, maneuvers in adverse conditions, where the ship has no way of returning, and tasks not often performed by the pilot.
“Due to a matter of work shifts, a maneuver in a certain berth may not be frequent for the pilot. So, he comes here and simulates a maneuver in that berth. All this makes a considerable difference to safe navigation”, emphasizes Castanho.
Every year, the pilots perform more than 2,000 maneuvers. The Port of São Francisco do Sul, run by the local government of Santa Catarina, holds the Port Authority in the complex and is the head of the state ports. In 2023, it handled 16.8 million tons, an increase of 33.06%, mainly with solid bulk, such as soybean and corn, and steel products. In addition to the berths leased to Tesc, the public docks have another four berths: 101, 102, 103 and 201.
Itapoá Port began its operations under private administration in 2011 in the town of the same name. It has two mooring berths and plans to build a third. In 2023, the terminal handled cargo of 1.07 million TEUs (20-foot containers), a rise of 20.3%, being the fourth in container movement among the private ports.
The Port Authority and Itapoá Port have a project to attenuate the entrance bend in the bay and widen the external channel to 280 meters in the widest section. This is why there are already some studies to bring the 366-meter bulk containers to call at some Brazilian ports.
ph
oto:
Gustavo
Stephan
ROBERTO CASTANHO, PILOTAGE CEO
Gás Sul Terminal, at the moment, is planned for one monthly maneuver, in step with demand. This is a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU). It is designed to receive and store liquified natural gas (LNG) from methane tankers and restore it to gaseous form.
Maneuvers with gas carriers require greater safety, with four tugs, one of them with a fire-fighting system. There, the pilots must be careful with the channel, since there is an area where the anchor cannot be dropped, in an emergency, due to the underwater oil and gas pipelines.
The Pilotage zone has other private terminal projects, but the closest to be accomplished is the Santa Catarina Bulk Terminal (TGSC), beside the pilotage station. The unit will specialize in solid agricultural exports, and its work is in progress. Here’s to new challenges for São Francisco Pilotage, which will be 18 years old this October!
ABOUT SÃO CHICO
Affectionately called São Chico, São Francisco do Sul is one of the oldest cities in Brazil and has welcomed, throughout its history, navigators from different nationalities. The French navigator Binot Paulmier de Gonneville was the first to arrive in the Bay of Babitonga in 1504. Then came the Spanish. In fact, the island housing the municipality took its saint’s name in 1515 when baptized by the Spanish navigator Juan Diaz de Solís. The Portuguese colonization dates after 1658.
Port activities have always been a strong aspect of the local economy. An evidence of this is the presence of the National Sea Museum, at the city's Historic Center, with a rich collection of naval history. The museum is presently closed, awaiting reform. It is one of the various municipal properties listed by the Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) in 1987. This architectural group is framed by the natural beauties of the Bay of Babitonga, with its beaches and islands, a legacy protected by the good work of the pilots on board.
PILOTS CARLOS ANTONIO KELM AND GUSTAVO FONTENELLE ON THE BOARDING BRIDGE
photos: Gustavo Stephan
LEAVING SÃO FRANCISCO PORT:
CROSS CURRENT AND NEARBY HAZARDS
photo: Gustavo Stephan
Port Planning Seminar joins the sector’s calendar
The second edition was again a public success, with the support of Pianc Brazil and Antaq
With more than 150 delegates and more than 500 Internet viewers, the 2nd Port Planning Seminar was held on September 3, in Rio de Janeiro, consolidating itself as one of the sector’s benchmark event. This time, the Brazilian Pilotage seminar had institutional support from the Brazilian section of the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (Pianc) and the National Agency of Waterway Transportation (Antaq). Professor Edson Mesquita (Brazilian Navy) was responsible for the technical coordination. The seminar was honored by the presence of Vice-Admiral Carlos André Coronha Macedo, Ports and Coasts director; Vice-Admiral Ralph Dias, presiding judge of the Maritime Court, and Eduardo Nery, Antaq CEO.
Pilot Felipe Perrotta, technical director of Brazilian Pilotage, opened the event by recalling that its origin was the book Port Planning – recommendations for nautical accesses, published by Brazilian Pilotage and freely available on its website. The book combines the international technical recommendations for drafting or modifying designs in existing ports, such as operating a new class of ship and installing a shipping terminal.
Perrotta emphasized the creation of the national Pianc section – an agency that produces the reports to guide port planning – as well as the application of its guidelines in Brazilian Navy regulations, which grants approvals and sets operating limits in the ports:
photo: Gustavo Stephan
“Our infrastructure limitations considering the growth of ships are well known. But I believe that we are on the right road. We have a negligible list of incidents in more than 80,000 maneuvers performed. And this is due to the good Brazilian Navy regulations, which raise the most modern of discussions in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Moreover, I would like to mention the start-up of Pianc Brazil in 2023. Today, Brazilian members can participate in the committees responsible for drafting international technical guidelines, including our country's perspective.
Eduardo Nery, CEO of Antaq, delegate of the national section of Pianc, said that the event was the first to be supported by the Brazilian representation:
“Prior to Pianc Brazil, the participation of our maritime and port communities was not so effective. However, pilotage has always been very active in the association. I would also like to salute another partner, the Brazilian Navy. Now, Pianc guidelines will be closer to the country’s requirements.”
The CEO added that Pianc can help overcome challenges. For example, he mentioned the group that analyzes the impact of climate change on navigable routes, one of the topics of the seminar:
“It is work within a global context where Brazil also suffers. For the second consecutive year running, the Amazon is undergoing its worst drought ever.”
Professor José Carlos Bernardino, from the Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering Department of the University of São Paulo (USP), commented that Pianc offers 16 case studies of good
practices for adapting ports to climate change. He listed a stepby-step approach for this planning according to Pianc.
“Climate change causes different impacts. In the case of ports, rise in the sea level, change in rainfall patterns, increase in wind and height of the waves. These impacts will affect port structures, mooring conditions of berthed vessels, hydrodynamic and dredging maneuvers. Another quite relevant factor is the increased frequency of extreme events, namely storms and periods of drought. Depending on the scenario, we need to adapt both the ports and port design concepts. But at a cost. This is why it is necessary to define short, medium and long-term measures.”
PILOT BRUNO FONSECA, PILOTAGE PRESIDENT, AND EDUARDO NERY, ANTAQ CEO
photos: Gustavo Stephan
PILOT FELIPE PERROTTA, PILOTAGE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
PROFESSOR JOSÉ CARLOS BERNARDINO (SÃO PAULO UNIVERSITY-USP)
SIMULATIONS
The first talk, given by Professor Eduardo Tannuri, coordinator of the USP Numerical Test Tank Laboratory (TPN-USP), was an overview of the university's involvement in port nautical studies, incorporating risk analysis, as Pianc recommends. More than 300 simulations have already been performed with the technical partnership of pilotage, such as those that enabled the arrival of the 366-meter bulk carriers in Brazilian ports.
“They are different ships in terms of maneuverability. The pilots trained on small-scale vessels (abroad) and returned with the experience for the electronic simulator, so it was possible to define the operating limits, and today the 366-meter vessels are a reality. We will soon be analyzing the 400-meter ships.”
Another study mentioned by the professor addresses the effect of shallow water on the arrival of cruise ships arriving at Belém (Pará State), designed to compensate the shortage of hotel accommodation for the 30th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP 30) in 2025.
“The channel is very narrow, and the ship will drift at an angle of more than 10 degrees, due to the action of the Guajará Bay currents. The effect of shallow water is important because it increases the current forces against the hull and could increase the drift. This must be considered to determine the width of the channel to be dredged, as recommended by Pianc”, explained Tannuri.
The matter was detailed in the talk by pilot Luiz Carlos Veloso, president of Barra do Pará Pilotage:
“Dredging is not enough; the design involves full port planning. We’ve never received this size of cruise ship in Belém. The largest ship expected is 323 meters in length and 41 meters in width. The channel will have to be wider in the part where the wind and tide are stronger, because the vessel will actually drift a lot. This is why we have undertaken simulations and risk analysis.”
Cynthia Eliza described simulations applied to European pilotage. She works in Simwave, a training center with 59 simulators in the Netherlands. One of the investments is to simulate the traffic of 450 vessels in wind farms expected in the North Sea by 2035.
“The pilot participates in the simulations in certain scenarios, such as emergency situations. For example, in the case of ungoverned ships. They can also participate as advisors, supporting the VTS operation (Vessel Traffic Service) or the captain’s decision-making."
According to Cynthia Eliza, Brazil is at the same level, and even more advanced in simulation development:
“Our country has a big name abroad, due not only to the oil and gas industry but also to our pilotage benchmark.”
Edgard Malta, engineering director of Technomar, which is responsible for installing one of the Brazilian Pilotage Institute simulators, similar to that coordinated by USP, complemented the approach of the interaction between wind farms and navigation. In Brazil, there is a greater concern in the Northeast, where the offshore wind farms are more promising, not only due to the risk of collision, but also to the electromagnetic radiation impacts.
“The position of the turbines could affect navigation and communication systems”, Malta said.
LUIZ CARLOS VELOSO, PARÁ BAR PILOTAGE PRESIDENT
PROFESSOR JOSÉ CARLOS BERNARDINO (SÃO PAULO UNIVERSITY-USP)
photos: Gustavo Stephan
Simulations in reduced manned vessel models also contribute to enhancing navigation safety. This was one of the topics in the talk by Professor Paulo de Tarso, executive coordinator for the Brazilian Ocean Technology Laboratory (LabOceano) of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro engineering research department (Coppe/UFRJ).
The university houses the world’s second deepest tank, 15 meters deep, with wave, wind and current generators. Tests have already been performed in the tank with a four-meter motorboat, scale 1/1, but the idea is to take small-scale models to the cove in front of the laboratory, installed in Guanabara Bay.
In partnership with Seagems (Sapura) and Rio de Janeiro Pilotage, LabOceano is building a six-meter PLSV ship (pipe-laying support vessel) on a 1/25 scale, to permit advanced ship-handling training.
Felipe Ruggeri, one of the founder partners of Argonáutica Engenharia e Pesquisas, the company that developed the ReDRAFT dynamic draft system, showed how complex it is to establish operational parameters by collecting data from meteoceanographic sensors.
"We are very often concerned mostly with the ships, but to carry out a maneuver several factors must take place."
In addition to Argonáutica, another company present and from USP, was Navigandi, developer of the Brazilian portable pilot unit (PPU). Rodrigo Barrera, one of the partners, was responsible for drawing up a panorama of the evolution of the River Information Services (RIS) to implement e-navigation (enhanced navigation), a concept of maritime information on board and onshore exchange between stakeholders, with a view to safe navigation and also opportunities to improve efficiency in logistical transportation.
The challenges of upgrading and harmonization of the navigation aid systems, far beyond channel marking, were the focus of Rear Admiral Marcos Almeida, president of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (new IALA). The former non-governmental association has just changed to an intergovernmental organization.
“The main objective of this alteration is to facilitate general cooperation and take the topic to another level, especially at government level”, justified the Rear-Admiral.
photos:
Gustavo Stephan
CYNTHIA ELIZA, SIMWAVE
EDGARD MALTA, TECHNOMAR
PILOT MARCELO CAJATY, VICE-PRESIDENT OF FENAPRÁTICOS, AND PROFESSOR PAULO DE TARSO (RIO DE JANEIRO FEDERAL UNIVERSITY-UFRJ)
The environmental part of the program also included a talk by Jorge Silva Junior, Marcus Ramos and Alexandre Tito from Whybim Energy. They concentrated on the topic of energy efficiency and management with a view to operating green ports and green corridors.
“We will sail in a green world because the IMO has set its decarbonization targets for 2050. We cannot be left out of this process. The set deadlines began in 2008”, stressed Jorge Silva Junior.
Pilot Bruno Fonseca, president of Brazilian Pilotage, terminated the seminar, which was also attended by its vice-president pilot Marcello Camarinha, pilot Marcelo Cajaty, vice-president of Brazilian Pilots’ Federation (Federação Nacional dos Práticos), and Jacqueline Wendpap, executive-director of the Brazilian Pilotage Institute.
“To bring together the Maritime Authority, the Brazilian section of Pianc and Antaq means a lot to us, since it consolidates the book Port Planning as a benchmark. Moreover, having here pilotage, tugs, maritime and port authorities, terminals and users means that they will all be aligned in the discussion on the subjects. A 366m ship is not only 30 meters larger than a 333m ship. They are completely different classes. If you look at the Pianc coatof-arms, the writing on it says that sailing is precise, not in the sense of necessity1 but of precision, accuracy and acuity.
And we have seen throughout the day how sailing is indeed a very precise act. We are proud to be part of this complex system and to contribute to safe navigation in our waters”, the CEO concluded.
Watch the whole event on the YouTube of Brazilian Pilotage.
1 In Portuguese, the word "precise" means necessary as well as precise. "Navegar é preciso, viver não é preciso" (navigating is precise, living is not precise) is a famous motto of erstwhile sailors, which became popular in the Portuguese language thanks to a poem by Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa.
FELIPE RUGGERI, ARGONAUTICA
REAR-ADMIRAL MARCOS ALMEIDA, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF MARINE AIDS TO NAVIGATION
PILOT MARCELLO CAMARINHA, PILOTAGE VICE-PRESIDENT, AND RODRIGO BARRERA (NAVIGANDI)
photos:
photos: Gustavo Stephan
A list of National Pilotage Council duties
In 2025, the Brazilian Navy delegations to the national representation agency complete 25 years
Two thousand and twenty-five will be special for the National Pilotage Council. The year will mark half a century of the institution and 25 years of its recognition by the Maritime Authority as national representative of the profession. Since then, the Brazilian Navy has delegated to it duties that contribute to the enhancement of the profession and quality of the service.
In this edition, Rumos Práticos offers a list of such duties: to coordinate the Pilot Refresher Course (ATPR); to approve the operations centers and crews of the pilot motorboats; in addition to undertaking inspections and issuing a report for approval of the pilot boats by the Brazilian Navy.
The ATPR history began in 2002, when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) discussed the review of Resolution A.485 (XII), substituted thereafter by Resolution A.960 (23), which brought recommendations on training, certification and operational procedures for pilots.
Attentive to the discussion, the Brazilian Navy’s Ports and Coasts Directorate (DPC) went ahead and requested the National Pilotage Council for a training proposal for the profession, already with a view to adapting the upcoming regulations. The Technical Council of the institution discussed the matter and proposed the ATPR,
which had its program approved by the DPC based on Resolution A.960, even before its enactment by IMO.
The upgrading program is mandatory for the pilot every five years, in two phases. In the first phase, which happens remotely, the professional accesses a virtual learning environment, with Legislation, English, Personal Safety, First Aid, Survival at Sea, ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System), Radar, Dynamic Positioning (DP) and Azimuth Thruster (Azipod) modules. The content is presented through texts, images and videos. After accessing this content, the pilot must perform objective tests in the actual environment.
The second phase is held in person at the Navy’s training centers – in Rio de Janeiro (Ciaga) and Belém (Ciaba) – and more recently in the Brazilian Pilotage Institute in Brasilia, where there are also ship bridge simulators. At this phase, groups of up to 12 pilots participate in talks and discussions on current technical topics, in addition to exercises on simulators covering ECDIS, DP, Azipod and emergencies, under the coordination of instruction pilots.
Since it is a refresher course, ATPR needs to evolve with each cycle. This is why it undergoes complete reformulation, always focusing on Resolution A.960 and presenting to the pilot the
RIO DE JANEIRO PILOT BOAT. INSPECTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT BY THE COUNCIL.
evolution of aid equipment for navigation and propulsion, and the use techniques during maneuvers.
“The employment of pilot instructors in conducting the activities has proven that the experienced pilot manages to identify the relationship between theory and practice. Combining their experience in real situations and teaching methods, they are able to convey lessons in the same language spoken by our colleagues, which not only increases motivation but also influences the training results”, stresses pilot Marcelo Cajaty, one of the instructors.
Since the start of the program, 27 pilot instructors have graduated from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (ITAGS), in Baltimore (USA). The goal of this training was not only to enhance knowledge, but also to acquire the adequate didactics for the job.
Today, ATPR is in its fourth cycle, beginning in 2020 and extended to 2026, due to the interruption during the pandemic. By July, 329 pilots had completed the cycle.
The course has crossed borders. In 2022, three classes have done optional training in Panama, where small manned models reproduce on lagoons the behavior of large ships. The quality of the Brazilian program also attracts the interest of foreign colleagues. Pilots from Angola, Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay have already undertaken the course in Brazil.
WATCHTOWERS, MOTORBOATS AND CREWS
The National Pilotage Council also plays its role in approving the operation centers (watchtowers) and pilot boat crews,
as well as inspecting the boats to issue support reports for approval by the Maritime Authority.
To do this, technical visits are regularly made in order to guide the pilotage companies regarding the procedures to be adopted to obtain and renew the approvals.
In recent years, even during the pandemic, there has been a great effort by the Technical Council to ensure that all items are inspected and have their approvals 100% renewed. The minimum allocation of materials and equipment is specified in the Maritime Authority Standards for the Pilotage Service (Standard-311/DPC).
In 2022, an app was created to manage the processes, and through which the pilot stations can request approval of watchtowers, boats and crews. The National Pilotage Council administers the indication of the technical counselor assigned for the technical visit and schedules it through the app. The counsel pilot, in turn, also uses the system to undertake the inspection and define granting the approval.
Brazilian Pilotage has approved 36 watchtowers, 138 pilot boats, 34 pilotage support boats and 501 crew members.
“This is work that relies on volunteer collaboration of our advisors and instructors, as well as on the technical manager Raimundo Nascimento. Since the Navy delegated to us some of its tasks, the National Pilotage Council deals with their execution with the same zeal and professionalism that the Maritime Authority regulates the profession. After all, we are dealing with the quality of the service that impacts shipping safety”, the technical director pilot Felipe Perrotta points out.
ATPR CLASS 7 IN BRASILIA
Extended safety in Santos Basin
At
the suggestion of Brazil, the
International Maritime Organization recommends greater distance of merchant ships from the rigs
Claimed by Brazil at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the creation of two areas in the Santos Basin where merchant ship traffic should be avoided was recommended by the UN agency in charge of regulating shipping. The proposal was submitted by the Brazilian delegation that works in the organization, through the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications, Search and Rescue. The purpose is to reduce the risk of accidents and to protect the marine environment, since the region involves more than 70% of the country’s oil and gas exploration.
The measure also needs to be approved by the Maritime Safety Committee, responsible for applying it wherever there should be no shipping restrictions, according to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). If endorsed, it will be enforced on July 1, 2025, for all IMO members.
The project was based on collision risk analysis between ships and rigs in the Santos Basin, drafted by the Det Norske Veritas Classification Society (DNV), and also on an environmental impact
photo: Brazilian Navy
BRAZILIAN DELEGATION AT THE 11TH SESSION OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATIONS, SEARCH AND RESCUE (NCSR 11)
assessment in event of an oil spill, at Cenpes, the Petrobras Leopoldo Americo Miguez de Mello Research, Development and Innovation Center.
The work was spearheaded by the IMO Coordinating Committee for IMO Affairs (CCA-IMO) with support of the Permanent Representation of Brazil to the organization, of the Brazilian Navy, which has among its purposes support for the Permanent Representation of Brazil, Alternate Permanent Representation of Brazil and the Brazilian delegates endorsed by CCA-IMO.
Pilot Marcelo Cajaty, who has been working with the Brazilian delegation for 20 years, stresses the importance of the country having a base in the international organization:
“This structure set up by the Brazilian Navy allows Brazil to protect its interests. The areas are very important for keeping shipping safe and preventing pollution. With the robust study of Petrobras and the Brazilian delegation ready to convey this need, we had almost unanimous approval despite the IMO rigor in this type of concession."
The recommendation complements the international regulation set by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea which is a 500-meter distance from the rigs. In the case of Santos Basin, the suggested zone is at least 2,500 meters, according to Captain Adriano Pires da Cruz, Alternate Permanent Representative of Brazil to IMO, due to the unique characteristics of the rigs in the region, which operate at 150-300 km from the coast in very deep water, with intense unloading operations.
The merchant ships shall deviate from the set areas. Nowadays, every month approximately 200 vessels not involved in oil and gas exploration sail along 29 routes identified within Santos Basin or in its vicinity. However, around 400 specialized ships support the 25 rigs.
The Alternate Permanent Representative of Brazil points out that similar measures have already been adopted as recommendations in the Campos and Espírito Santo Basins and demonstrated efficiency. He explains that the role of the Maritime Authority, for now, will concentrate on disseminating the safety areas and traffic monitoring.
Santos Basin covers a total area of more than 350,000 sq.km and extends from Cabo Frio (Rio de Janeiro-RJ) to Florianópolis (Santa Catarina-SC), with a 74.08% share in national oil production and 75.34% gas. There are 28 producer fields. In 2023, the daily oil production was 2,655,122 barrels of petroleum and 118,072,000 cubic meters/day of natural gas.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Brazilian Petroleum and Gas Institute, National Center of Transatlantic Shipping and the National Union of Shipping Companies were also involved in the project.
Information from the Brazilian Navy News Agency
25
oil rigs operating 150-300 km off the coast
29 merchant ship routes
200
merchant ships in transit per month
400
offshore support ships in transmit each month
photo: André Ribeiro
Petrobras Agency
PROGRESS IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY IS NOT YET ENOUGH TO REACH THE TARGETS
We interviewed the coordinator of the affairs of the IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee on the GHG reduction process for the worldwide fleet
Given the ambitious targets to zero the liquid greenhouse gas emission (GHG) by 2050, the sea captain Fernando Alberto Gomes da Costa, coordinator in Brazil for matters of the Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), states that there are important obstacles to overcome. He considers that, despite the efforts already adopted to make marine transportation more sustainable, the pace at which the sector is adapting – from developing clean fuels to adapting the global fleet – is still insufficient.
In an interview with Rumos Práticos in July, Costa attributed the scenario to the lack of definition of measures for shipowners to meet their targets and the volume of investments needed to find solutions. It is expected that the guidelines be approved this next year and enforced in 2027.
“There are many challenges: to develop and distribute low and zero emission fuels, as well as engines that can safely consume these energies, in addition to adopting affordable prices for those new technologies, since the costs will be passed on altogether or partly to freight prices”, states the coordinator.
Rumos Práticos: IMO has reviewed the strategy of reducing by half all greenhouse gas emissions from the ships by 2050. Now, the UN agency’s goal is far more ambitious: zero liquid emissions. In short, what are the key challenges to be overcome to achieve this objective?
In addition to zero liquid emissions in 2050, there are intermediate ambition levels: in 2030, to reduce carbon intensity (emission per ton/mile) to 40% in relation to 2008; to load 5%, pursuing 10%, in energy/technology/zero fuels and almost zero emission; to cut all liquid emission in relation to 2008 by 20%, endeavoring to achieve 30%; in 2040, to reduce all liquid emissions compared to 2008, by 70%, endeavoring to reach 80%.
The challenges to achieve these targets are many: to develop and distribute low and zero emission fuels, such as LNG, LPG, ammonia, hydrogen, biofuels, batteries, etc., as well as engines that can consume these energies safely for crews and vessels, and to adopt affordable prices for those new technologies, since the costs will be transferred to all or part of the freight prices.
RP: Has the maritime industry advanced at the necessary pace to adapt its fleet to adopt green fuels?
The advance of the maritime industry is not enough to achieve the targets, either because the measures that will require ships to meet the targets have not yet been drawn up/approved, or because of the amount of investments required for the development and logistics of sustainable solutions.
RP: How to encourage the development of the as yet incipient infrastructure to provide these fuels on the necessary scale?
The IMO only has a mandate on the vessels, so that the ports and terminals are not under the legislation of the UN agency. However, it has been encouraging its member-states to take actions with regard to sufficient infrastructure to attend the ships, whether due to the economic opportunity that it represents or to the need to attend the vessels. In this sense, the agency has prepared, through recommendatory resolutions, examples of National Action Plans to act as a guide to the countries’ initiative.
RP: To achieve its target, IMO plans to take economical and technical measures. In technical terms, what action would be taken to accelerate the industry’s transition?
The basket of measures to be approved in 2025 and enforced in 2027 will consist of economic and technical elements. So far, the only technical element is GFS Fuel Standard (GFS), which measures equivalent CO2 emissions indirectly, since it verifies the volume of consumed fuels in one year by a certain vessel and multiplies it by the emission factors of each type of fuel used. It is possible to adopt another technical element that also takes into consideration the technology on board, as well as the ships’ operating profile.
RP: In economic terms, what is being studied? One of the measures would be to tax ships that fail to meet the targets. This sum could be applied to an international fund for investing in clean technologies.
We have three possibilities for economic elements: a flexible approach, which plans for compensation for the ships with less emissions and costs for those that fail to meet the targets; the feebate program, which encourages charging/remunerating proportionately the best and worst vessels in emission terms; and pure and simple consumer taxation, called Levy or GHG fee program. The latter faces opposition from the Brazilian delegation for including unfair costs and contributing little to the achievement of the targets. Since technology/zero or low emission fuels will be more costly, these values to be charged intend to make the lower emission actions cheaper. The proposal is that the sums charged form an international fund, and a Bureau, to be created, will decide the allocation of the sums through a system called revenue disbursement.
RP: When will these economic and technical elements be decided in the IMO and, according to the timetable, when will they be enforced?
The enforcement of the economic element to be approved by IMO will occur in 2027, that is, in 2028 there will be costs and/or compensation that will impact the freight values and economies of the countries, since more than 80% of the global freight are handled by maritime commercial shipping.
RP: Also on the economic issue: this transition in maritime transportation requires higher technology, fleet and fuel costs. This rise in costs is passed on to freight charges. What mechanisms can be established to mitigate impacts on the foreign trade of developing countries?
There is a group called Steering Committee, of which we are members, which is analyzing the potential impacts of the measures that could be adopted. So far, the only attenuation foreseen would be to check if the implementation has a negatively disproportional impact (DNI) on some country or population and, should this be confirmed, to adopt some kind of specificity when adopting the measures.
SLOW PACE ALSO IN BRAZILIAN PORTS
Decarbonization both in the port sector and seagoing transportation has also played a key role in debates involving the sector. And the deficient infrastructure of the ports is one of the main bottlenecks, according to Gilmara Temóteo, CEO of the Brazilian Association of Ports and Waterways (ABEPH - Associação Brasileira das Entidades Portuárias e Hidroviárias), during the Nordeste Export, an event held in June in Fortaleza (Ceará state).
“Many ports have no modernization in their infrastructure, and this hinders the implementation of low carbon emission technologies”, explains Gilmara Temóteo, underlining the limited resources for the Brazilian ports to progress toward a more sustainable future. “We know that implementing decarbonization requires investments in both the infrastructure and technology area, and in capacity building. And the initial costs to do so are by no means small.”
Abeph is in discussion with 15 Brazilian public port authorities. Gilmara Temóteo stresses that public economic incentive policies, innovation and labor capacity building to deal with the new technologies and environmental regulation are still missing, as well as the actual sector itself having cultural resistance.
“Implementing technologies calls for planning and research, and port specificities exist. There is no cake recipe. Moreover, it’s hard to train professionals, and this new reality requires the workers to adapt.”
The sector’s resistance to which Gilmara Temóteo refers is the old mentality that "you don’t change a winning team". She says that the port area involves complex logistics, with many different players (public authorities, private companies, workers and unions), and coordinating these stakeholders with a common objective is a huge challenge.
Gilmara Temóteo considers that the environmental regulation in force, especially at federal level, are too weak to adopt a single, linear plan for all ports, with more assertive parameters.
However, she pointed out some progress. During the Nordeste Export, Gilmara Temóteo heard from the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) that in the next few leasing and concession agreements there will be a mandatory clause for the facilities to take decarbonization measures.
“This is good because they are guidelines that cover the entire sector”, the Abeph executive concluded.
In July, Antaq approved the study “Diagnosis of Decarbonization, Infrastructure and Hydrogen applications in Ports”, in partnership with the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) and the German Society for International Cooperation [GIZ-Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit].
The survey was designed in order to check how the Brazilian port infrastructures are preparing to welcome green fuel vessels, wind power production, port equipment electrification and onshore power supply systems (OPS).
The study concluded that decarbonization of the port sector requires integrated actions to achieve a significant drop in emissions. With the diagnosis, it will be possible to adopt port facility measures to achieve the result.
The Antaq analysis in the ports is the second of three axes defined in accordance with the technical cooperation signed with GIZ in September 2023. The first, completed in 2021, reviewed international experiences and technical documents on power transition and decarbonization in maritime transportation and the ports. The third axis, which will be conducted by Antaq, will involve a case study based on a field survey and interviews in ports and with agencies in the segment.
photo: Publicity
Isaquias Queiroz outlines his plans for Los Angeles 2028
Canoeist will be 34 years old at the next Olympic Games and intends to intensify his flexibility exercises to win his sixth medal
Isaquias Queiroz, a phenomenon in Brazilian canoeing, made history again when he won his fifth Olympic medal in Paris 2024, leveling with yachtsmen Robert Scheidt and Torben Grael. In addition to his achievement in French territory, however, the athlete, who has Brazilian Pilotage as one of his sponsors, has set his target on the future, focusing on the forthcoming challenges until Los Angeles 2028, when he will be 34 years old. Isaquias estimates that he will need to reinvent himself to continue competing at a high level and also be stronger in the next Olympic Games.
The canoeist, aware of the need to adjust to the passage of time, plans to include new approaches to his training routine. Flexibility exercises will be more intensive, with longer Yoga and Pilates practices in his physical preparation. According to him, these activities will help keep his body fit and enhance his rowing technique, which is essential for the C1 1000 meters, his favorite test.
"I'm going to see more physiotherapists and work on my flexibility to improve my technique. Maybe I'll do more yoga, Pilates, because that will help me a lot in the races, especially in the thousand meters” explained Isaquias, when visiting the Rio de Janeiro pilot station, six days after winning the Olympic silver medal.
He spoke about the pressure of being one of the world’s top competitors and the expectation for results. Pressure that, in fact, he transforms into motivation:
“I think of all that investment in my work, my sponsors, supporters, the Olympic Committee and supporting the selection.”
Isaquias acknowledges that the impact of his achievements goes far beyond his personal satisfaction:
“When I win, it is for the team base. It’s not just for me, it involves the full impact of the medal.”
The silver medal in Paris came after a test of resilience and endurance. Isaquias, who had been defeated the day before on the C2 500 meters, with Jacky Godmann, had to work his mind not to let frustration affect his individual performance in the 1000 metres.
“It’s not because I didn’t win a medal in a race that I would give up everything. I need to reset myself, see what went wrong”, he said, adding that this mentality made him quickly rethink and this was crucial for the end result.
The athlete attributes part of his success to the presence of his family, who were in Paris watching from the stands.
photo: Gustavo Stephan
“It was extra pressure for me to win a medal. I thought I couldn’t disappoint them, especially my son (Sebastian) and my wife (Laina Guimarães) who were there, as well as all those in Brazil cheering for me”, recalls the canoeist, also father of Luigi, the youngest.
The extra incentive made Isaquias stay firm on his target, even when the start of the race didn’t happen as planned. He began with the strategy of rowing strongly and not letting his adversaries move far ahead. But Martin Fuksa, from the Czech Republic, shot into the lead.
“I tried to keep next to him in the first group but couldn’t and in the end, I ended up having to shoot ahead, which I didn’t even expect”, he said.
Although he didn't win the gold medal, Isaquias crossed the arrival line in second place, with the time of 3m44s33. Fuksa was first, with 3m43s16, and the Moldovan Serghei Tarnovschi completed the podium, with 3m44s68.
Wearing his medal, Isaquias kept the tradition of visiting the pilot station, as he did on his return from Tokyo, retributing the support in yet another Olympic Games.
At the RJ Pilotage operations center, the athlete was awarded a token of appreciation and autographed a competition training oar, auctioned in benefit of the humanitarian organization Médecins
Sans Frontières. His wife Laina was honored with flowers. Brazilian Pilotage represents the longest lasting support of his career.
“Thank you to everyone in the pilotage for your care and support for so long. This is very important for my dedication to the sport. It also helped me precisely to win that medal. It is the peace of mind of having major supporters encouraging me to be able to carry on in those tougher moments, when we manage to get the best out of what we did at home and win the medal. I am very happy to come here and show you not only my own achievement but ours and every Brazilian’s achievement."
Before the visit, Isaquias boarded a pilot boat and went on board a ship berthed in the port of Rio, accompanied by pilot Marcello Camarinha, vice-president of Brazilian Pilotage:
“Thank you again for representing our country so well and promoting our profession”, stated Camarinha.
He explained to the canoeist how pilotage works, settling doubts and highlighting the importance of the profession for society:
“Like you training hard to win your medals, we also train hard to maneuver giants carrying tons of fuel just to move. Every day we’re tested and aim for our podium, which is to safely go and leave with ships. We’re very proud of our medals and what we do. Brazilian Pilotage is a global benchmark and with a
PILOT MARCELLO CAMARINHA AND ISAQUIAS QUEIROZ ON THE BRIDGE OF A SHIP
photo: Gustavo Stephan
minimum rate of incidents in our waters. We’ve never had a major oil spill accident.”
In Guanabara Bay, Isaquias was impressed to see a 300-meter-long ship berthed in the port, practically the length of his final sprint in the Olympic race.
“Even when I watch the race, it seems like a short distance. But, after seeing the ship, I thought, wow, it’s not possible that I set off over the size of that vessel. Even today I’m still surprised.”
THE DUO’S FUTURE
Isaquias always says that performances like that motivate him to continue in the C1, where he feels more in control of his performance. However, the decision as to which race he will compete in 2028 will depend on the trainer. He believes that the next few years will be crucial to streamline his training and ensure that he will be ready to face adversaries like Fuksa.
“Of course I would like to always be in control, which is why I row in the C1. I know what I can do, what I can offer. If I make a mistake, I’m to blame. If I get it right, it’s my merit. But what counts is the training. It’s in the training that we can see who can win a medal, if you’re ready."
Determined to achieve his sixth Olympic medal, Isaquias wants to leave a deep mark in the history of the sport. He rates that another win will be a legacy for future generations of Brazilian athletes.
“It will give me more gas, because history endures, doesn’t it? To achieve my sixth Olympic medal in a sport that, until a short time ago no one knew much about, would be a special feat in my career and would go down in history forever. I would like my son to go out there and see the history that his father built in national and international sport.”
Before resuming training for international competitions, the athlete plans to enjoy his time with the family, a rare opportunity during the pre-Olympic period.
“Sometimes Sebastian would ask me to play soccer with him and I would say that I couldn’t because I was so tired from the training. But now we’ll do it. I’ll put him in a soccer school, swimming lessons, and perhaps he’ll do some canoeing...”
Even if he can’t always do what Sebastian would like, this doesn’t happen when the whole family is together before the lanes. The champion knows that a request from his son means an extra push on his canoe. This is why their presence is more than guaranteed in Los Angeles:
“If Sebastian asks, 'Dad, I’d like another medal', I’ll have to win it”, Isaquias jokes.
On the podium in Paris, he repeated "Kamehameha", power of the God Goku, of Dragon Ball, one of his son’s favorite video games. Energy in the palm of his hands is all Isaquias needs to shine even more brightly in the world capital of entertainment.
photo: Gustavo Stephan
WITH THE RIO DE JANEIRO PILOT CREW IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER
MPX: beyond the basics
What the pilot needs to know about your ship – rudder and propeller control and ship manoeuvring characteristics
As a pilot, you get used to having to learn the quirks of the ships that you are handling very rapidly – but sometimes they are not easy to pick up. On one outbound pilot trip I could not figure out which way the controllable pitch propeller turned – not after the Master/Pilot Exchange (MPX), and not during my attempts to clarify the situation during the hour’s trip from berth to lock. In the end I just entered the lock very slowly, gave a short Slow Astern to see which way the ship was turning, and acted accordingly. But it should not have to be this way!
As a ship’s officer, it is important not just to be familiar with the relevant characteristics of the ship you’re on, such as the rudder and propeller control and ship manoeuvring characteristics, but also to think about how you can clearly communicate these characteristics in a concise way. This is necessary not just for the
MPX – which may be a more or less frequent occurrence, depending on the trade – but also when captain or bridge officers go on leave. Here, too, the characteristics need to be clearly communicated at the handover.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
There is an important difference in perception between captain and pilot. Generally speaking, captains compare their present ship to the last ship they sailed on. Pilots compare the present ship to what they’ve come to believe is ‘normal’ for this class of vessel. To give an extreme example, suppose the captain previously sailed on a capesize bulker and is now on a containership. Compared to the bulker, the container ship stops exceptionally quickly, and
Ed Verbeek FNI
that is what the captain might say in the MPX. The pilot might then come to the conclusion that the ship stops exceptionally quickly compared to the average container ship, which might be completely incorrect.
It would be very helpful if the captain could give quantifiable results, rather than general impressions. The results from the crash stop test and the 10-10 Zig Zag could give a real insight here. It would be very helpful if captains/bridge teams were able to show these tests, and point to any aspects that are way outside the normal, if (and only if!) there are any. Pilots would need to be so familiar with the general outcome of these tests that they would be able to understand the main aspects at first sight. Which values are normal? What do abnormal values signify? The aim here is not to prompt long discussions and explanations, but to find a quick and quantifiable way of identifying anomaly. The MPX should be short and to the point, especially during arrivals when the ship is still being navigated.
WHAT TO HIGHLIGHT
So what are the most important features to know? And how do you communicate them concisely? Here are some points to consider highlighting that will help the pilot know how best to advise.
Start with power generation – what type of engine have you got, diesel, diesel-electric, battery electric or wind-assisted? Then look at how they affect manoeuvring characteristics.
STOPPING The FPP
In the case of a diesel engine: is it a directly reversible/fixed pitch propeller (FPP); a geared/FPP; a controllable pitch propeller (CPP); an azimuthal thruster?
If it is a directly reversible engine: how much time does it take to start? I have had cases where it has been more than 20 seconds – definitely information I needed to know!
How many starts are available? Once I was on a ship with an apprentice: the ship had six consecutive starts. The apprentice was not used to this kind of set-up and in his enthusiasm used several stop-starts to stay nicely lined up in the approach to the lock. After four starts I reminded him that he only had two more – something he had completely forgotten while concentrating on getting a good approach.
Where are the critical revs?
Is there a load program within the manoeuvring range?
So what might good MPX communication look like, taking all these things into account?:
We have a start-stop engine and a righthanded FPP. It takes about ten seconds to start, we have approximately eight starts.
The critical revs are eg ‘in between Slow and Half’ or ‘above Manoeuvring Full’.
The load program kicks in above half, but can be overridden in emergencies
The conversation should also cover any unusual arrangements that influence shiphandling – for example if there is a fixed nozzle around the propeller, or a rotating (Kort) nozzle, and if this nozzle is equipped with a fin or additional rudder, etc.
AVOID CPP CONFUSION
As mentioned above, the controllable pitch propeller (CPP) can often be a source of misunderstandings. When the captain says the ship has a ‘right handed’ CPP, does that mean that the direction of rotation of the propeller is right handed, so that ship will turn to port on astern? Or does it mean that the propeller acts like a right handed FPP, and the ship will turn to starboard? To avoid this situation, I will always ask: ‘When we give astern, which way does the ship generally turn?’ If I ask: ‘Does the bow turn to starboard?’, there are captains who correct me and say: ‘The stern turns to port’… (they are completely correct!)
There are load systems for CPP as well. Sometimes the astern pitch is quite limited. It is necessary to communicate this too.
On some CPP ships, steering is lost if the pitch is reduced too quickly. If this is a known phenomenon, it needs to be mentioned in the MPX.
Another example of good MPX communication:
‘We have a CPP. When giving astern, the ship tends to come to (starboard/port), generally (‘quite controlled’ or ‘fast’). Our load program takes 25 seconds from manoeuvring Full Ahead to Full Astern. Maximum pitch astern is about 70% of ahead.
If you reduce pitch very quickly, she loses steering quite easily and it might be hard to get her under control again. Pitch 0 will give a slight thrust forward, around 0.5 kt.
It is important that the ship’s crew know the failure modes of the CPP. Most modern CPPs maintain the set pitch when failures occur. Older CPPs fail into either Full Ahead or Full Astern. In some cases, the way the CPP behaves will depend on the type of failure experienced – for example, whether it is an electric failure or a hydraulic failure. There are ships with CPP that also have reversible engines. In this case, the CPP fails in Full Ahead, and the ship can be manoeuvred from the engine room using old fashioned telegraphs. I can only encourage you to know your system!
Occasionally, you come across a ship with a diesel engine and an azimuthal thruster. Although an azimuthal thruster in some respects gives a similar feel to a pod, there are some differences that need to be taken into account, so communicate clearly that it’s an azimuthal thruster.
In general, on ships with azimuthal thrusters or pods the manoeuvring takes place hands on: the communication (‘thinking aloud’) is aimed at keeping the team members informed of the intended outcomes, rather than the settings to achieve them, as the settings are continually adjusted according to need.
ELECTRIC: FPP; POD; AZIMUTHAL THRUSTERL
If electric propulsion is driving conventional propellers, be aware of the time that is needed to reverse the electric motor – as mentioned earlier with the combination diesel – azimuthal thruster/ pod.
UNUSUAL SYSTEMS
Systems like waterjets, Voith-Schneider, Vectwin have their own specialities when operating including reversing: be prepared to explain the system in a very short, concise but still understandable way.
STEERING
Let’s start with installations which have a separate rudder. You need to know something about the type: is it (semi) spade? Balanced? And even more important: is it of a high lift type?
With fish-tail rudders and other single blade rudders, high lift rudders are easily identifiable by the rudder indicator, which will go until something of the order of 60°. Becker and other rudders consisting of two blades are more tricky: generally the indicator will only show the angle of the main blade. If you don’t know what you are dealing with, in the first instance it looks like you have a ‘normal’ rudder. If the pilot is not explicitly told that this is a high lift rudder, they might be in for a shock at the response of the ship!
On ships with two propellers, the rudder installation is even more important. Twin propeller, single rudder ships are notoriously difficult to turn. There are ships on which the rudders are placed at the inward side of the propeller shafts so that the shaft can be pulled without detaching the rudder. Because of this position the flow of the propellers partially bypasses the rudders. This is especially a problem when the engines are split (one ahead and one astern). I call this system ‘single rudder in disguise’ as the ship handles a bit like a twin prop-single rudder ship. If a ship is equipped with this, it needs special attention at the MPX.
The Kort nozzle is another point worth highlighting: it is separate from the propeller/propulsion but it has a great influence on the astern and steering characteristics. A Vectwin system has this as well.
BOW/STERN THRUSTERS
According to a document circulated to Dutch pilots, bow thrusters that fail to perform when required are the top mechanical factor contributing to damage. So when I hear during the MPX that a ship has a [bow] thruster, this always gets my special attention. Of course I’d like to hear how strong the thruster is. My next question will be if all that power is available to use. Before I made a point of asking this, now and then when entering the lock, the captain would say: ‘You cannot use step three, we’ll have a black-out.’
With larger units, you need to know the response time. How long does it take before the thrusters start to deliver? I’d also like to have an idea at what speed the thruster starts to become noticeable. As a rule of thumb, the more tunnels, the higher the speed at which the thruster starts to have a noticeable effect. Anti-suction tunnels increase this speed even further.
Whatever the details of the thruster system, tunnelled or nontunnelled, the particulars need to be communicated.
CREATING A PILOT CARD
Communication during the MPX communication is greatly assisted by using an appropriate pilot card. We’ve seen that a lot of information needs to be covered – far more than can ever be remembered. The pilot card needs to be available for the pilot until they leave the vessel. The pilot card is not a piece of paper to ensure there is a paper trail. It should be a practical, handy aide memoire, available at need throughout the pilotage.
I have given a few examples of good MPX practice for individual system components above. Let’s look at a model MPX for a more complicated ship. Please remember that throughout this MPX (and afterwards) the pilot card should be in front of the pilot, so that they can read along:
So Pilot, we have a diesel electric propulsion here, it takes a bit of time to change the direction of the propellers.
Twin FPP out-turning propellers, so when you split the engines, the propeller effect will help.
Ahead 18,000 HP each propeller, astern power is about 75%. You’ll find we have enough power to stop or accelerate as you would expect of a cruise ship.
We have twin rudders, but unfortunately they are off-set inside the propeller shafts. I’ll make a small drawing to show you how this will affect steering. She might react less to the rudder than you would expect.
Two bow thrusters, 2,000 HP each, with an anti-suction tunnel. You would normally start to notice an effect from 5 kts.
Only one stern thruster of 2,000 HP, combined with the off set rudders that means that transverse power at the stern is limited.
Depending on the situation, we generally start to think of a tug when winds exceed 10 m/s, and need a tug with winds above 13 m/s.
To summarise:
• Know all relevant characteristics of your ship.
• Know how to communicate them.
The nice thing is that you can practice every time you take a pilot!
Originally published in the Nautical Institute Magazine Seaways, in association with the Royal Institute of Navigation in October 2022 and reproduced with the author’s permission nautinst.org
PILOT LADDERS
IMO CONCLUDES REVISION OF TRANSFER DEVICE REGULATIONS
The Subcommittee of Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) completed the revision of the regulations addressing the pilot transfer devices in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and in its amendments. The amendments will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee in December and then to the General Assembly. If approved, they will be in force in January 2028. Among these measures are the setting of the 36-month validity period for the pilot ladders, the mandatory rule of having an extra ladder aboard and pilot mark for the ships that require a combined boarding arrangement (Jacob’s ladder and boarding ladder). "This was a significant advance for pilots’ safety and for those who use that means of transfer, and which took 18 months to be submitted since the IMO agreed to start the work in November 2022", the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) stressed in a note. In May, IMPA published a document with valuable information to be considered in the pilot transfer operations, available in impahq.org/news/pilot-transfer-operations
THE AMAZON
DYNAMIC DRAFT SYSTEM IN THE NORTHERN BAR IS UPGRADED
The dynamic draft system in the Northern Bar of the Amazon River is now more accurate. Its meteorological and oceanographic data collection buoy was upgraded by the Eastern Amazon Pilotage and anchored with the Brazilian Navy’s support. The hydrographic ship Garnier Sampaio not only carried the buoy but also sounded the depths in the site’s vicinity. The work was completed in early July.
The northern bar has always been a shipping bottleneck, since it is shallow and silty at the entrance to the river. The system transmits by satellite: depth data; current direction and speed; wind direction and velocity; and amplitude and period of waves. The information updates the forecasts published in the tide-table. With this more accurate analysis, it is possible for more heavily-laden ships to cross the region in complete safety.
photo:
BRAZILIAN PILOTAGE INSTITUTE QUALIFIES MACHINE OFFICERS
The Brazilian Pilotage Institute in Brasilia will be welcoming, from now to February, 15 classes for the Engine Room Resource Management Course (IMO Model Course 7.17). Technip, an offshore market company, approached the Institute to prepare the program for its entire team of engine officers. In addition to the classroom facilities, they will use a recently installed engine room simulator. Jeferson Carvalho, general manager of the Institute, visited Chile earlier to qualify in model courses of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with focus on instructor training, using simulators as a means to qualify, and training and assessing mariners. The program was offered at the Chilean benchmark Maritime Instruction and Training Center (CIMAR).
CONDOLENCES
CONDOLENCES FOR THE DECEASE OF FORMER PRESIDENT ADRIANO VIDAL
Brazilian Pilotage mourns the passing in August of former president of the National Pilotage Council Adriano Gustavo Vidal, who chaired the institution in 1982 and 1983. Vidal provided 51 years of service in Pilotage Zone 17, where he was president of Paraná Pilots’ Association and Paranaguá Pilots’ Services on several occasions. He not only worked as a pilot but was also president of the Brazilian Navy’s Friends Society in Paraná and of the Paranaguá Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Association. We offer our condolences to his family and friends.
CONDOLENCES FOR THE DECEASE OF FORMER PRESIDENT ROBERTO BELOTTI
In August pilot Roberto dos Santos Belotti, former president of the National Pilotage Council, also died. He was president of the institute for the 2001-2002 twoyear period. From 1977 he worked in pilotage in charge of guiding the ships in Lagoa dos Patos and its tributaries (ZP-20), vessels sailing to Porto Alegre and the inland ports, and in the opposite direction to Rio Grande. We offer our condolences to the family and friends of our colleague.
photo: Publicity
MEDIA SUCCESS
NARROW ESCAPE!
The video of the accident narrowly avoiding a sailboat by São Paulo Pilotage was the most watched since the last Rumos Práticos edition. Until closure there were 239,000 views on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, attracting new followers to our pages. The video shows a pilot boat towing the sailboat out of the channel in Santos. The vessel had problems with its propulsion when a large container ship approached. The pilots steering the ship also noticed the sailboat on route, sounded the alert whistle and swerved the cargo ship in time. The two coordinated actions prevented a tragedy and show the high level of readiness of Brazilian Pilotage.
POSTER ATHLETE
Isaquias Queiroz is always a synonym for audience in our channels, spreading the Brazilian pilotage brand all over the country. The athlete’s visit to Rio de Janeiro, retributing our support after the Olympic Games, attracted 48,000 views on our networks. Besides his presence in the Rio de Janeiro Pilotage operations center, the canoeist climbed on board a moored ship. There, pilot Marcello Camarinha, vice-president of Brazilian Pilotage, explained how the bridge service works. The announcement of an oar signed by Isaquias Queiroz, to be auctioned on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières, was another advertisement with significant reach. The post recorded 41 views.
"ROPE" LADDER
Why is using a “rope” ladder to board a ship still the safest means to do so? Pilot Bruno Fonseca, president of Brazilian Pilotage, answered the question from many followers in a video based on his Infracast interview, channel of the Brazilian Infrastructure Institute (IBI). If installing an easy way to transfer and keep it onboard already causes problems, imagine any other more complex way, reflected Bruno Fonseca. The media already reaches almost 20,000 views.
46th National PiIotage Meeting Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, 2024
From December 4 to 6, 2024, at Hotel Wish
Event exclusive to pilots and family members, pilotage employees and guests
Brazilian Pilotage supports Médecins Sans Frontières
Also in another partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Brazilian Pilotage auctioned a competition oar autographed by Olympic medal winner Isaquias Queiroz.
The sum raised allows actions such as application of 5,306 vaccines against measles or distribution of 6,900 therapeutic food sachets against malnutrition.
Thanks to agencies such as Brazilian Pilotage that believe in the importance of MSF actions, we continue to help and save thousands of people threatened by armed conflicts, natural or socioenvironmental disasters or epidemics. Again, many thanks for being our partner ” .
Renato Castro, relations with MSF companies
measles vaccines applied
6,900
5,306 therapeutic food sachets to treat malnutrition