Rumos Práticos 62 (English)

In the 62nd edition of Rumos Práticos, our team visited the Paranaguá and Antonina Pilotage Zone (Paraná-PR) to portray the challenges faced by the pilots in one of the largest port complexes in South America. It is the eighth article of the series about Brazilian ZPs.

We have already visited ZPs 1 (Amazon Basin); 15 (Rio de Janeiro-RJ); 22 (ImbitubaSC); 9 Pernambuco-PE); 19 (Rio Grande-RS); 5 (Ceará-CE); 14 (Espírito Santo-ES); and now ZP-17. Each of them has specific environmental and structural conditions, with difficulties overcome by the pilot stations – by expertise and investment in the profession. This is the case of implementing the dynamic draft in the northern bar of the Amazon River, a project described in detail in this edition.

In the following pages, we also address the main issues discussed at the 25th Congress of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA), in Mexico, an occasion when Ricardo Falcão, the Brazilian Pilotage president, was re-elected, being the most voted of the association’s vice-presidents.

Common troubleshooting is one of the objectives of IMPA and of the affiliates in their own countries. In Brazil, the Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association (Conapra) studies the standardization of the lifejacket worn by the pilots, in addition to developing a helmet suitable for the job. We advance the proposal on pages 18 to 21.

We’ve also reproduced an article published in Seaways and signed by the author of Tug Use in Port, captain Henk Hensen. In the text he highlights the importance of preparing for emergency maneuvers without tugs and provides some cases.

We conclude the edition by disclosing how canoeist Isaquias Queiroz trains for the Paris Olympic Games, after winning the gold medal in Tokyo.

Good reading!

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 and vice-president of IMPA

Ricardo Augusto Leite Falcão

director vice-president

Bruno Fonseca de Oliveira

directors

Marcello Rodrigues Camarinha

Marcio Pessoa Fausto de Souza

Marcos Francisco Ferreira Martinelli

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 photo: Gustavo Stephan

The information and opinions expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily express the Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association viewpoint.

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Superlatives in Paraná ports

IMPA elects a new executive committee and keeps Ricardo Falcão as vice-president

The Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association studies lifejacket and helmet standardization

Pilotage invests in dynamic draft on the Amazon River

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No tugs? What now?

Isaquias Queiroz already looking to 2023 for a place in the Olympic Games

Superlatives in Paraná ports

Extensive navigation, extreme conditions and perilous passages are features of the pilots’ work in one of the largest port complexes in South America

Antonina Port

Pilot boarding point

Paranaguá Port

photo: Fernando Martinho

pilotage in Brazil

Rumos Práticos is now at the eighth episode in the series about the Brazilian pilotage zones and presents the particularities and challenges overcome by pilots in the ports of Antonina and Paranaguá (Paraná), the latter being one of the five largest ports in port handling in 2021, according to the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq). Together, last year the Paraná ports handled 57.52 million tons of freight, an unprecedented record that relies on the contribution of the pilotage not only in the efficiency of ship maneuvers, but also in investments and consulting services to optimize safe operations. In 2021, there were 7,009 maneuvers in the Paraná ports.

By August this year, 39.86 million tons were loaded and unloaded, with a 2% increase and record volume for the period, considering the last ten years, according to the Paranaguá and Antonina Ports Administration (APA). It is no easy task to ensure smooth distribution. The first problem that arises is the size of Pilot Station 17, one of the largest in the port pilot zones. There are nineteen nautical miles from pilot boarding outside the bar until the central part of Paranaguá inside the bay. From there to Antonina at Felix Point are another six miles.

The pilot station is located on the banks of the Itiberê River, where the entire administrative and operational structure is concentrated (pier, workshop and operations center). It involves 13 motorboat masters, nine mariners and 19 maintenance employees. In order for the pilot to reach the boarding point, the motorboat crosses upriver the Techint facilities, the islands of Mel and Galheta and, finally, another six miles beyond the bar (APA wants to extend it for another mile to receive heavier loaded vessels). The journey takes 45-60 minutes, depending on the sea state. This is because cold fronts frequently affect the region, with a prevailing southern wind, strong enough to reach 30 knots, causing waves of up to three meters to hit the motorboat head-on.

To withstand the long journey and rough conditions in the open sea, the pilotage is finalizing the upgrade of its bar fleet. The arrival of the fourth 44-ft 14-ton motorboat was expected by September 20th, compared to the old 33-ft 7-ton boats. The first vessel started operations in 2016. This procurement practically zeroed any bar infeasibility due to risks in boarding and disembarking. The pilotage also plans to renew six port motorboats. One of them is being designed solely for hydrographic surveying.

“All this motorboat logistics, their wear and tear and the pilot’s time aboard involve very costly and complex management. What we always try to do are double calls; that is, match one ship entering with another leaving, using the same pilot, economizing a motorboat, personnel and optimizing the port”, explains the pilot station’s managing director pilot Victor Demaison.

RIVER BANK AERIAL VIEW OF THE PILOT STATION'S COMPLETE STRUCTURE

Motorboat master Ivaldo Muniz recalls what it was like in 1986 when he began the job:

“In the past, the boats were made of wood and iron hull, we would get on water in the early hours of the morning, at whatever time the pilot arrived. We’d cope with all kinds of things... Nowadays we have everything at hand.”

Pilot Moniz de Aragão remembers that when they couldn’t disembark it was common to have to continue to another port:

“In general, we would go to Santos (São Paulo-SP) − or less often to Itajaí (Santa Catarina-SC), because when conditions were bad here they would also be bad there, since the wind comes from that direction. From Santos, we would return on another ship or by car. From Itajaí, we were always lucky enough to return by ship.”

In addition to the four new motorboats, the pilotage invested in the installation of an ODAS buoy (Ocean Data Acquisition System) next to the buoys one and two, at the entrance to Galheta Channel, 15 meters in depth. The equipment provides information such as wave height, wind direction and force, current and visibility, objectively enhancing the risk assessment for boarding and navigation.

It is precisely in that area and in the next two miles that the pilot meets the second challenge, after boarding. The channel there is narrow, with shallow water on both sides. And the occurrence of strong winds, high waves and intense cross-currents impact the vessel’s balance (difference between the direction of the bottom and actual direction of the bow), besides poor visibility. During the Rumos Práticos visit from September 6th to 9th, the bar was closed one whole morning due to fog.

"After boarding only two miles from the channel entrance, the pilot needs to climb the pilot’s ladder, reach the bridge, be aware of expected traffic, adjust speed and the ship’s approach to compensate for the external forces and prevent dangerous crossings", explain pilot Helio Sinohara and Professor Eduardo Tannuri (USP) in an article published in edition no.58 of the magazine.

Rumos Práticos accompanied on board the entrance of a Ro-Ro/ container carrier 210.92m in length and 32.26m beam, with a draft of 8.80m (the maximum draft is 12.80m). As soon as pilot Jhony Cipriano arrived on the bridge, after a first communication with the captain, he contacted operator Cleia Pires about the expected traffic (the operations center provides data from AIS antennae, cameras, tide-graphs, weather stations, current sensors and the ODAS buoy). Next, the pilot arranged the first crossing of the route with pilot Moniz, who was guiding a vessel in the opposite direction.

The constant crossings are another particular feature of the ZP. After all, with such busy navigation, it’s not possible to wait for a

PILOT VICTOR DEMAISON, THE PILOT STATION'S MANAGING DIRECTOR

ship to cross the entire channel before the next one heads out, without compromising the port’s efficiency. This is why the communication between pilots is essential to calibrate speeds and combine crossings in safe stretches. On September 20th the pilots will simulate, in USP, crossings of 333m-long ships with a draft of over 11.50m.

Also, to optimize operations, most vessels enter directly to one of the many anchorage areas, where agencies and authorities deal with bureaucracy and inspection before mooring, thereby reducing idle time in the berth.

Another crucial focus point for the 32 pilots working in Paraná is the narrow passage on a bend and with rocks all around in the quadrilateral formed by the buoys 28A, 29, 30 and 31 in the channel. The occurrence of a current of up to two knots in the Itiberê River is yet another complication in that stretch, as well as the wind force. The container terminal (TCP), where longer ships with a wider sail area moor, is situated right on the side of this row of rocks.

“You’re sailing protected and suddenly the ship is impacted by a very strong current, so strong that it practically closes off the river, becomes a barrier. If it is swelling, the current throws you starboard and when it lowers, to port side. We can’t go too slowly because the current will hit too hard, nor too quickly to the extent of failing to stop with vessels up front. It’s a balancing game, and each ship is a ship. The pilot has to understand how each vessel maneuvers, if there’s a weak engine, it takes time to answer to the rudder command… And there’s not much time for that.”

Rumos Práticos accompanied the departure of a 330m-long container carrier, with 48.2m beam (draft 11.80m), with pilots Moniz de Aragão and Cláudio André in the maneuver. TCP and other terminals in Paranaguá are concentrated along the three mile-channel. According to APA, 63% of freight until August was solid bulk, 23% general cargo and 14% liquid bulk. The main exports were soybean, chicken meat, soy oil, beef, sugar, corn and cellulose (in 2021 Paranaguá was the second port behind Santos in soy and corn). The imports worth mentioning were fertilizers, general cargo and petroleum by-products.

“Since there is a variety of products, as a result of ship classes and loading conditions, the vessels have always been different. In this sense, each maneuver has a particular feature, in addition to the changing environmental conditions. Every day is a different maneuver. It is a constant challenge, there is no winning move”, comments pilot Cláudio André.

The arrival at Antonina Port is no less challenging. The channel through which ships of 8.5m draft or less pass is narrow and with outer shallows of up to two meters. There is no margin for error and a tug escorts the vessel throughout the stretch. From Felix

photos: Gustavo Stephan

Point, it takes practically four hours of maneuver. From Paranaguá, it takes between two and two and a half hours on average. A strong counter current – that sometimes reaches three and a half knots – takes a longer crossing time.

Luiz Fernando Garcia, CEO of APA, praises the pilots’ work:

“A port’s efficiency is very much due to the pilotage. In Paraná, the excellence of the services is proven by the extremely low accident rate, market recognition and environmental care. Paranaguá Pilots is 164 years old and combines experience and innovation, undergoing a continuous upgrade process. The Paraná ports occupy top place for three consecutive years in Brazilian port management, according to the Infrastructure Ministry. Paranaguá is also the top-rated public port in the Antaq Environmental Development Index (IDA), and we’re consolidated as the second most important port in Brazil. I believe the major advantage is the synergy between the Port Authority, public authorities, pilotage and port community.”

The occurrence of environmental accidents is one of the Antaq IDA indicators. In 2021, pilot Cirio Cipriano prevented a container ship from running aground when its engines failed, forcing it to make a

25-minute emergency maneuver. The vessel was 299.98m in length with a 40.3m beam and 11.6m draft. After leaving the terminal, the problem arose in the passage between buoys 19 and 20, when the ship was still three miles from the first possible area for emergency anchorage.

Cirio Cipriano immediately alerted the operations center, requested to be ready to raise the anchors (should the situation get out of control) and requested tugs to standby. He controlled the direction of the ship with the remaining residual speed that rapidly diminished due to the flood tide. Another challenge was an approaching summer storm, reducing visibility and with gusts of wind. The vessel was able to navigate another two miles until it stopped, a moment when the pilot had to control the bow with the rudder and then used the bow thruster to avoid collision with the buoy. The tugs finally arrived with help.

“The bow tug went ahead towing the ship through the center in order for it to gain speed, and the stern tug positioned itself in the transom mirror, acting as a rudder and thruster. This was how we sailed the last mile to the emergency anchorage point”, told Cirio at that time.

PILOTS MONIZ DE ARAGÃO AND CLÁUDIO ANDRÉ ON THE CONTAINER CARRIER BRIDGE

photo: Gustavo Stephan

CRITICAL PASSAGE BETWEEN THE ROCKS IN FRONT OF THE CONTAINER TERMINAL

photo: Rodrigo March

PILOT JHONY CIPRIANO HANDLING ACCESS OF A RO-RO/CONTAINER CARRIER

OPERATOR CLÉIA PIRES PROVIDING SUPPORT IN UPGRADED OPERATIONS CENTER

photos: Gustavo Stephan

PARANAGUÁ TERMINALS OCCUPY THREE MILES OF COAST

photo: Gustavo Stephan

IMPA elects a new executive committee and keeps Ricardo Falcão as vice-president

The Association’s congress in Mexico discussed topics such as autonomous ships and energy transition in the industry

Pilot Ricardo Falcão, president of Brazilian Pilotage, was re-elected in June for another four-year mandate at the head of one of the vicepresidencies of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA). He was the most voted, being unanimously chosen in the election held during the 25th Congress of the Association in Cancun, Mexico.

Simon Pelletier (Canada) was also re-elected as president of IMPA. Alvaro Moreno (Panama) was chosen senior vice-president to replace Jean-Philippe Casanova (France). Neither had contenders. Completing the vice-presidencies are Adam Roberts (Australia), André Gaillard (France), Sang-Min Goag (Korea) and Paul Schoneveld (United Kingdom). The vice-presidents were elected from eight candidates.

IMPA, founded in 1971, unites pilotage associations from all over the world, one of its affiliates being the Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association since 1981. The association’s aim is to share experiences, find solutions for common problems and represent the pilots in the global maritime community, especially in the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency that regulates navigation safety procedures.

THE BRAZILIAN PILOTS PRESENT IN MEXICO

Ricardo Falcão, vice-president of IMPA for eight years, accompanies the discussions in the IMO Maritime Safety Committee, a forum where the countries share their relevant matters and possible repercussions in international regulations, such as, for example, the future of autonomous ships. The subject, in fact, was discussed at the IMPA congress. Guy Platten, secretarygeneral of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), addressed the prospect of the industry in terms of opportunities and challenges. The IMO set 2024 as the deadline for establishing regulatory instruments for this type of operation, still on a non-binding basis. The consolidation of a mandatory framework is expected to be in force by 2028.

Paul Kirchner, from the American Pilots’ Association (APA). argued that apparently there is a growing idea that a ship’s remote control can be as safe and environmentally sustainable as onboard human control, but raised a question in his presentation: "Is the purpose of setting up an IMO regulatory system to facilitate the commercial introduction of operations, or is it to ensure that they would be safe?"

Eva Szewczyk, a researcher at Northumbria University in the UK, addressed technology limitation and risk of cyber-attacks. She presented data from a 2021 study involving 122 pilots and marine officers, where 86.4% of them expressed concern with remote pilotage.

Recently, Ricardo Falcão published an article on the topic in the magazine Portos e Navios , in which he not only stressed the economic but also the safety aspect, in the case of completely autonomous vessels: "Ships controlled by artificial intelligence require a level of hardware and software sophistication, the maintenance cost of which is still infinitely greater than keeping a crew onboard. They are not economically feasible or justifiable within the margins of error with which the sector operates. Reducing accidents caused by human error is a solution for a false dilemma, since the industry works with an enviable 99.998% efficiency.

The new fuels and energy transition in the shipping industry, as well as the maneuverability of vessels adapted or built for reduced pollution, were other issues addressed at the IMPA congress.

Henry Caubriere, president of the French Maritime Pilots’ Federation (FFPM), talked about the decarbonization process in pilotage in France. In 2020, an energy transition commission was set up. The first step was to calculate carbon emissions in the industry: 10,768 tons, equivalent to 81 trucks/year (70% from motorboats, helicopters and cars). The immediate action was to reduce the speed of motorboats in order to cut greenhouse gas consumption. By 2030, adopting alternative ways of propulsion is considered, namely electric. This type of motorboat is already being tested. "Ship owners are working

hard on the matter. We cannot stay on the pier watching them work", stated Caubriere.

Nor could safety of pilot embarkation and disembarkation fail to be addressed by the congress, since 13% of access appliances to ships were irregular in the last IMPA research. The association’s elected vice-president, André Gaillard, secretary-general of the French Federation, revealed the statistics of accidents and incidents in the country over the past 20 years. Despite the low rate of accidents with sick leave, the FFPM was going to produce a training video for new pilots after an incident in 2021, following a recommendation by the French Agency of Investigation of Accidents at Sea.

The fall and death of a colleague in Lisbon in 2018 was the focus of the presentation by pilot Miguel Castro, president of the Bar and Port Pilots’ Association (Apibarra - Associação dos Pilotos de Barras e Portos) and senior vice-president of the European Pilots’ Association (EMPA). He made a memoir of the case, pointed out the lessons learned and the post-accident advances.

The IMPA congress in Mexico also covered other issues, such as the pros and cons of electronic navigation and training to deal with large container vessels, in addition to relations with stakeholders and regulatory agencies in the industry. foto:

Fernando Martinho

RICARDO FALCÃO, VICE-PRESIDENT ELECTED FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS

photo: Paulo Vitor

photo: Gustavo Stephan

The Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association studies lifejacket and helmet standardization

In addition to projects for the pilot’s safety, the Technical Directorate resumes updated APTR and plans return of the course for operators in Brasilia

The Technical Directorate of the Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association studies the development of a standard life-jacket, with resources for both survival in water and to mitigate traumas in event of the pilot’s falling on the motorboat or into the sea. According to pilot Marcio Fausto, director of the area, if the project progresses, the idea is to then develop an appropriate helmet for the activity.

In his opinion, no jacket available on the market is 100% suitable for the service, since the hypotheses of an accident when transferring the pilot to the ship are specific. The intention is to prepare a prototype in partnership with Senai Cimatec in Bahia, an innovation benchmark.

“Most jackets do not have solutions against impact, and some are not provided with resources for overboard survival and rescue. We have pilots who prefer rigid jackets to prevent trauma, but few of them have a pick-up strap. Others find it bothersome to wear larger jackets in warmer regions and choose self-inflating jackets. Our idea is to develop something customizable with maximum possibilities to minimize possible shocks when falling and to wait for rescue, perhaps a hybrid with a rigid part for impacts and another inflatable to keep heads above water”, explains Fausto.

According to the director, the plans also include a custom-made helmet for pilots, which is currently not on sale. Until this occurs, the technical area intends to recommend something available in another segment. Although it is not a mandatory item, the helmet

protects from brain damage that could leave the victim unconscious, making the rescue difficult.

“The Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association should encourage the use of the helmet because you start relaxing in the day-to-day. In the meanwhile, we’ll keep insisting on the importance in training the motorboat crews and operators of the support stations (watch towers), since this is not simply pulling a man overboard from the sea but providing first aid and sending him to hospital if necessary. In São Francisco do Sul, we undertake integrated exercises, simulating even the ambulance call”, says Fausto, also recalling the pilot’s role to prevent the accident. “Because of our pilotage model, we are interested in always performing the maneuver, very often exploring the limit of personal risk. But we must embark in a situation where we can be rescued.”

The Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association is responsible for coordinating the Pilot Refresher Course (ATPR), delegated by the Brazilian Navy, and has resumed the program after lockdown during the pandemic, beginning the fourth cycle until 2026. Recycling is mandatory every five years, Brazil being the global benchmark on the topic.

“This return was a great victory. None of our classes were canceled. We are homologating the Pilotage Institute of Brazil and its maneuver simulator in Brasilia, to host the course (held on the premises of the Brazilian Navy and the Man of the Sea Foundation [Fundação Homem do Mar]). We would like to have an experimental

RADAR CLASS FOR OPERATORS' CAPACITY BUILDING IN RIO GRANDE

photo: Publicity

class in the capital this year. The ATPR has been developing over time. We’ve had innovations in every cycle. When we began, the autonomous ships were only just starting, and today we already have considerable material about it. We have also enhanced the study of legislation with some modules. And we want to upgrade the remote part, with a more friendly teaching platform. I consider the course quite complete, all much more than what Resolution A.960 of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommends. Several hands made it with care, under the sharp eye of our technical manager, Raimundo Nascimento."

Capacity building on small-scale manned models of ships (optional of APTR) is also available again, with the possibility of training in Panama, thanks to an understanding with the Scale Vessel Handling Training Center (CMBE).

“There are some situations where we are unable to train on the computer simulator. It’s not by chance that Resolution A.960 suggests training on scale models, in order to complement that of the computer.”

The return of the course for watchtower operators, previously held in the Man-of-the Sea Foundation, is also planned to happen in Brasilia, with two classes per year. In some larger pilotage zones this type of capacity building is offered by the actual pilotage companies. Recently, watchtower operators and supervisors of Barra do Rio Grande Pilotage (Rio Grande do Sul) took part in a classroom and online refresher course. They had classes about

nautical charts, Electronic Chart and Information Systems (ECDIS), radar, portable pilot units (PPUs – portable electronic navigation hardware) and technical English.

“No operation is good without recurring training with the proper tools”, stresses pilot Bernardo Ramos, operations director of Rio Grande Pilotage.

In Rio de Janeiro, pilot Marcelo Fricks resumed the training he was giving to operators before the pandemic. Twelve of them were reunited and had theoretical classes on nautical and electronic charts. Later, they accompanied two maneuvers on the pilotage simulator: one heavy tanker entering Southeast Port and a loaded container carrier entering the Varrido Channel in the Port of Rio de Janeiro. Fricks addressed the points where the operators can help pilots during the pilotage tasks, such as in observing the current boundaries in Sepetiba Bay and avoiding the ships crossing the bar at the mouth of Guanabara Bay bar. With the merger of Mangaratiba and Rio de Janeiro watchtowers, the intention is to provide capacity building up to three times a year.

“I had the idea of using the simulator for training purposes. They were inside the ship, seeing how the watchtower acts on the other side of the countertop. It was very gratifying. Everyone was enthusiastic, learned a lot and saw how important they are for our work.”

photo: Publicity

MARCELO FRICKS AND THE OPERATORS ON THE RJ PILOTAGE SIMULATOR

Pilotage invests in dynamic draft on the Amazon River

Tests to validate an 11.90-meter draft have already begun in the region that undergoes the world’s largest sediment discharge

The implementation of a dynamic draft system is underway in the North Bar of the Amazon River, under an ordinance signed between the Cooperative for PZ-1 Pilots’ Support and Logistics (Unipilot) and the Command of the 4th Naval District.

The integrated data collection and processing system calculates how much a ship can increase its underwater volume without risk of running aground, considering data such as tide intervals and so on. The information is fundamental for increasing vessel loading, since the North Bar is a shallow muddy stretch along 23 nautical miles (42.6 kilometers) at the mouth of the Amazon River, limiting the draft of all ships in the Amazon.

The region is extremely complex, since the so-called Arco Lamoso (“muddy arc”) has a large sediment discharge in the river, which has one of the world’s highest flows. Added to this is the action of another three components: the astronomical tide caused by gravitational effects of the Earth-Moon-Sun system; the meteorological tide influenced by strong winds, and the river level as a result of the rainfall pattern.

The first of the system’s three meteo-oceanographic buoys was anchored in the North Bar and underwent structural adjustments to be less prone to entrapments of fishing nets, for example. Furthermore, the watertightness of its sensors, which provide data of currents, tide level and water density, was reinforced. Buoy surveillance operates without records of vandalism, thanks to a partnership with local fishermen.

The project relies on the technical backing of Argonáutica, a company created by the University of São Paulo (USP), which developed the dynamic draft in the Port of Santos, and on the Cohesive Sediment Dynamics Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). All collected data are shared via satellite with the Brazilian Navy, responsible for authorizing the maximum draft in the region.

THE SHIP ASTRAEA SB, WITH A DRAFT OF 11.75M, WAS THE FIRST TO CROSS THE NORTH BAR

THE FIRST BUOY OF THE DYNAMIC DRAFT SYSTEM IS ALREADY ANCHORED IN THE ARCO LAMOSO (MUDDY ARC)

At the moment, two trials have been performed with an 11.75m draft. Another two crossings with 11.80m; four with 11.85m; and four more with 11.90m are programmed to validate this draft – all utilizing a tide of 3.10m or more. The stretch requires extremely accurate navigation so that the vessel does not touch the riverbed. This is why it must be carried out at low speed, constantly monitoring the under-keel clearance. A representative from the Maritime Authority (from the Northern Center of Hydrography and Navigation) and a PSC naval inspector (Port State Control) accompany the trials onboard.

“It was a good result, the ship sailed clear”, says pilot Adonis dos Santos, president of Unipilot, who did the second 11.75m crossing.

To proceed with the trials, the Maritime Authority prefers to wait for the results of a marigraph at Céu Point, Grande Canal do Curuá, 70 miles from the North Bar. The technical study at the site began in 2017 to implement the dynamic draft. The marigraphs of the Brazilian Navy and the pilot station were destroyed by uprooted tree trunks during a tidal bore (pororoca). The Unipilot apparatus was expected to be reinstalled on August 31.

Another key pilotage effort for the success of the project is regular depth soundings of the region’s rivers to supplement the official soundings. The work has been carried out for more than ten years and is crucial to the navigation of heavier ships because, in the Amazon, sandbanks move constantly under water, altering the

navigation channels. These investments in bathymetry and in tide studies have contributed to the Navy increasing the draft from 11.50m in 2017 to 11.90m at the trial stage (more than a USD million gain in cargo per ship). The pilot station believes it’s possible to reach 12.50m with the system’s advance.

“We have this series of trials to consolidate the increase in the authorized 11.90m maximum draft. It will be a benchmark in potentializing agribusiness exports through the North Arc and the productivity of Itacoatiara (Amazonas-AM), Santarém (ParáPA) and Santana (Amapá-AP) terminals, promoting expansion to the hinterland (area of commercial influence) of the Amazon ports. The investment is funded by the pilot station, in partnership with the Maritime Authority”, highlights the Unipilot president.

Pilot Ricardo Falcão, president of Brazilian Pilotage, who also works in the East Amazon Basin, recalls that all input of resources is only feasible because, in the 1960s, the Brazilian Navy made pilotage a private activity:

“In addition to withstanding the high cost of the profession’s operation, with special motorboats and a 24-hour standby operations center, all pilot stations invest heavily in combining safe navigation with efficiency. The result of the past Navy decision is visible in the quality of the service and productivity it generates for the country.

THE AMAZON RIVER'S NORTH BAR STRETCH OF 23 NAUTICAL MILES IS MARKED IN RED ON THE MAP

Soybean and corn products, for example, plus bauxite, containers, petroleum and by-products, are more and more often transported along the Amazonian rivers. Agribusiness freight in the Midwest arrive by barges on the Madeira River to Itacoatiara (AM) and on Tapajós River to Santarém (PA). In the port terminals, cargo is transferred to ships sailing down the Amazon River.

According to the data from Brazil’s agency for waterway transportation (Antaq), in the first six months of 2022 the North Arc terminals, including those in Maranhão, for the first time surpassed the ports in the other regions in handling soybean and corn products, with 51% national participation (41.5 million tons).

Around 1,300 vessels a year pass through the Amazon region, almost half carrying agribusiness freight. Top producer Mato Grosso is responsible for 72 million tons of grain, estimated to reach 120 million tons by 2030, and ten years later 60 million tons to be exported through the North Arc, as estimated by the Mato Grosso Pro-Logistics Movement. The draft progression is key to the distribution of the increasing production.

PILOT STATION OPENS UP ROUTES FOR EXPORTS

The ZP-1 pilots operate in the world’s largest pilotage zone, in an area covering 1,416 nautical miles (2,622km) of navigation and maneuvers in the Amazonian rivers, ranging from the mouth of the Amazon River and the city of Itacoatiara (AM), passing through three states, Amapá, Pará and Amazonas. This requires very intensive use of pilots, raising the cost of internal travel for the service and millions in investments to ensure efficient and safe ship handling.

In addition to routine checks of river beds and tide analysis, the pilot station then began to study alternative routes to those that once limited navigation, as in the case of Mazagão Channel, 13 miles from Fazendinha (AP), towards Itacoatiara (AM). The pilots’ expertise was also valuable to overcome operational limits of very tight bends in the Jari and Trombetas Rivers, with up to 50% larger vessels.

On Trombetas River, however, after the addition of night beaconing, the pilot station made a huge effort to adjust the signage and train maneuvers at night. Another port that will be able to operate round the clock with night beacons and adapted tugs is Santana (AP), thanks to the pilots’ participation in simulations in the University of São Paulo Numerical Offshore Tank (TPN-USP). The work also confirmed the possible entrance of New Panamax ships to Amapá, with two extra holds for cargo and capacity of up to 100,000 tons. Crossing the North Bar with heavier loaded ships is the next bottleneck to overcome.

PILOTS' EXPERTISE HELPED OVERCOME LIMITS IN THE TROMBETAS RIVER

photo: pilot Raphael

THE PILOT STATION’S PROJECT IS A HUGE INCENTIVE TO DEVELOPING METEO-OCEANOGRAPHIC STUDIES IN THE NORTH BAR

In an interview with Rumos Práticos, Vice Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa, commander of the 4th Naval District, evaluates the progress of the dynamic draft project in the North Bar and highlights its importance for the increase in safe distribution of freight through the North Arc.

RUMOS PRÁTICOS: How important is the dynamic draft project in the North Bar for the economy and the region??

At this stage of the project, data collection and, consequently, their analysis will enable us to improve tide studies (astronomical and meteorological). From such studies it will be possible to optimize navigation, resulting in cutting transportation costs in the North Bar, by safely increasing the draft and therefore the amount of shipping freight.

RP: What is your assessment of the project so far?

Since the region has the world’s largest river discharge, it is unique because of its environmental complexity, taking a long time to collect environmental data, and requiring the scientific community’s creativity to complete this collection. The project so far has proven how important is the national industry’s participation in providing buoys for the North Bar.

RP: When will the start-up of the Brazilian Navy’s marigraph be expected? Is it a condition for resuming the trials or, while this doesn’t happen, can the Navy make use of the pilot station’s marigraph data?

The Navy’s marigraph is expected to be installed during the last quarter of the year, on occasion of the next hydrographic survey to be performed in Canal Grande do Curuá. With regard to the data collected by the pilot station’s tide equipment, they will be analyzed by the Navy, and it is worth mentioning that it is a conditioning factor for continuing the trials of ships sailing through the North Bar.

RP: Are these natural phenomena in the region a challenge to the project?

The project’s major drawback is to adapt the existing technologies to the characteristics of the mouth of the Amazon River. Not only with data procurement but also with their online transmission. Another existing challenge is vandalism to the equipment, interrupting the environmental data collection.

RP: Do you believe it’s still possible to validate the 11.90m draft this year?

It’s not possible to predict a date or final height of the draft, at this moment. Everything will depend on the results of the shipping trials for the drafts stipulated in the 4 th Naval District Ordinance that regulates navigation of ships with a draft of 11.90m or less in the Canal Grande do Curuá, since the safety of navigation is paramount for continuing the trials and defining the draft.

RP: Is there anything else you would like to highlight about the project?

The project submitted by the pilot station is a huge incentive to developing meteo-oceanographic studies in the North Bar, contributing together with the Maritime Authority to navigation safety.

photo: Marília Maciel

VICE-ADMIRAL EDGAR LUIZ SIQUEIRA BARBOSA AND PILOT ADONIS DOS SANTOS

No tugs? What now?

Henk Hensen FNI

Regular manoeuvres and emergency departures

In the sixties the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Doorman called at the Port of Fremantle, which required a manoeuvre to swing it in the port with the help of tugs. However, there was a problem – the tugs were on strike. The aircraft were secured on the flight deck, and the ship was turned and brought into berth using the aircraft engines as ‘thrusters’. This is of course not an option for most vessels expecting tugs and finding that none are available, whether due to breakdown, emergency, political conflict or any other cause, but other options may be viable, depending on the situation and the experience and confidence of the Master.

In all these cases experienced pilots are needed, although in the case of a true emergency it may be necessary to depart without one.

Although there are no strict limitations with respect to ship size, from a practical point of view this article regards a ship length of about 225m as a maximum, unless otherwise mentioned. The practicality of the manoeuvre will of course depend on port lay-out and environmental conditions – 225m may be considered a very large ship in some ports, and a relatively small one in others.

WARNING

As ports differ, so will differ the quay construction and fendering. Even in the same port, the manoeuvres below might be possible at one quay or terminal but not at another, due to the quay construction or fendering which may damage the ship. Cranes that might hinder the manoeuvres should be removed in time.

Furthermore, full manoeuvrability should be available which means no limitations on engine or bow/stern thruster use. Nowadays, with the increase in automation on engine performance, more than half of ships have limitations on engine use, even in harbour manoeuvring range. This is a serious and increasing problem.

minimal. Other wind directions may support the manoeuvre. It is therefore important to have a good look at the wind and the consequences.

If larger tugs are unavailable – for example, due to breakdown –ships loaded with bulk cargo can successfully be handled using less powerful tugs than would usually be the case. It just takes somewhat longer. This can be expressed by the formula:

F = m x a

where ‘F’ is the tug force, ‘m’ the mass of the vessel and ‘a’ the acceleration. The smaller the tug force, the smaller the acceleration/ deceleration, e.g. for a course correction or speed reduction. Ships affected by wind should only be handled when wind force is below the total available tug force.

CONSIDERATIONS WHERE NO TUGS ARE AVAILABLE

Sometimes, there may be no tugs available at all due to breakdown or strike. Larger ships equipped with a bow thruster but which usually use tugs may still be able to arrive and depart using the methods discussed below.

From a port management point of view, it is recommended to take appropriate measures so that any possible difficulties for arriving and departing ships are cleared. Arrival or departure of any vessel that usually uses tugs should be discussed between the Master, the pilot in charge and the harbour authorities to determine what manoeuvres are possible under what conditions.

Points for consideration include, but are not limited to:

1. Port traffic control to be informed.

2. Favourable wind and current.

3. Good visibility.

4. Day and/or night navigating.

Wind force and direction are crucial factors in all of these situations. Most problematic are onshore winds. In case of ships sensitive to wind, onshore wind velocity should be zero or

5. Proper planning of other traffic.

6. No obstruction by dredging material, sounding boats, etc.

7. Use of ship’s anchor allowed.

8. Berth free over sufficient length.

9. Berth free from cranes.

10. Container cranes topped.

11. Availability of mooring men and mooring boats.

12. Condition of mooring arrangements, bitts, bollards and mooring lines.

In many cases, the anchor – the ‘poor man’s tug’ – can be of great help for turning, mooring or unmooring without side thrusters, even for rather large ships. Often just one shackle is sufficient for turning or mooring; effectively working with a dragging anchor. For example, at the former Suralco aluminium factory on the Suriname River, bulk carriers of around 200m LOA swung around on the anchor in the relatively small river and moored without tug assistance port side alongside the jetty.

ARRIVAL: BACKWARDS INTO HARBOUR BASIN

Ships with good working bow thrusters (see opposite), such as many container ships, can easily manoeuvre head first into a harbour basin. However, manoeuvring backwards, as shown in figure 1, below, has several advantages. With a speed of about 4 knots the ship manoeuvres backwards to the berth, steered by the bow thruster.

When coming close to the berth the engine is set on ahead with the rudder hard to port and with the bow thruster to starboard. The ship can now be manoeuvred alongside in such a way that it comes parallel alongside with a low approach speed.

Some key questions we might ask include:

• Why does the same thruster work better on one ship than on another?

• Why does a bow thruster lose its effectiveness so quickly with increasing forward speed?

• Why does a bow thruster perform so much better when the ship has speed astern?

• What about a stern thruster?

DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

When designing and installing a side thruster, ideally:

• The upper part of the bow thruster tunnel should be at least 0.5 – 1 times the diameter of the bow thruster under water;

• Distance from lowest part of the tunnel to the keel should be at least the diameter of the bow thruster;

• The ship’s sides near the entrance of the tunnel must be as close as possible to parallel both vertically and longitudinally – preferably not a V-shape;

• The tunnel length should be 2 – 3 times its diameter; more if the tunnel is V-shaped;

• The propeller should be in the middle of the tunnel – otherwise it will work noticeably better to one side than to the other side;

• The entrance/exit of the tunnel must be well rounded or chamfered to prevent vortices, which can cause a considerable loss in effectiveness;

• Many tunnels have ‘shell’ shaped openings with larger chamfering aft of the tunnel to reduce sailing resistance. This will guide the water flow properly into the tunnel when the vessel is moving astern.

• Any protective grilles in front of the tunnel entrance/exit must be constructed to reduce the resistance of the tunnel entrance when the ship is moving, but disturb the inflow of water as little as possible when the bow thruster is used;

• Stern thrusters have generally less power than the bow thruster. If these requirements are not met, a bow thruster may perform less effectively than a bow thruster of the same power on ships that meet the requirements.

SHIP MOVING AHEAD

A BRIEF GUIDE TO THRUSTERS

Side thrusters can considerably improve ship handling – but it is essential that they are set up and used correctly.

There are various types of thrusters on the market. Those found on merchant ships may be electric, hydraulic or diesel driven built-in thrusters with fixed or variable propellers. Most common are electrically driven bow thrusters with Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP).

A bow thruster loses much of its effectiveness as the ship gathers headway. In general, thruster effectiveness decreases by about 50% at 2 knots, with only minimal performance at 5 knots.

Figure 1A shows a ship with headway, with the bow thruster set to starboard. The bow thruster creates water flow in and out of the thruster tunnel. The figure shows the resulting areas of low and high pressure.

Fig 1: Manoeuvring backwards onto a berth with bow thruster

Bernoulli’s Law states that an increase in water speed results in a decrease in water pressure and vice versa. The accelerated water flow out of the thruster creates a low pressure field along the port hull forward. While the bow thruster is trying to move the bow to starboard, this low pressure works in the opposite direction, counteracting the bow thruster.

The greater the ship’s speed, the more closely the outward water flow will follow the ship’s hull. At a certain (relatively high) speed the flow may run along the length of the hull, creating a low pressure field over the whole ship’s length. This will not counteract the bow thruster.

The distribution of the low pressure field over the ship side will affect the turning performance of the bow thruster depending on the speed, draft, trim and UKC. At high speed it may even contribute to the turning performance of the bow thruster.

Some ships have an Anti Suction Tunnel (AST) behind the bow thruster or between two bow thrusters. This tunnel connects the pressure fields at both sides of the tunnel, reducing the difference in pressure and further reducing the negative effect of the large low pressure field on the bow thruster’s effectiveness.

The sideways force tries to move the ship to starboard. This is counteracted by the hydrodynamic force centred forward (see the +marks), which will try to turn the ship to port. This hydrodynamic force increases with ship speed.

The result is that when the bow thruster of a ship having headway is set to starboard, at the same time:

• A negative pressure field develops that counteracts the working of the bow thruster.

• The hydrodynamic force centred at the bow counteracts the working of the bow thruster.

Both effects increase with ship speed. Consequently effect of the bow thruster decreases quickly with increasing ship speed.

SHIP MOVING ASTERN

When moving astern, a bow thruster works perfectly!

Looking again at figure 1A, when the bow thruster is set to move the bow, but the ship is sailing astern, the low pressure field created by the flow out of the tunnel will not be directed along the ship’s hull. Consequently, it will not affect the performance of the bow thruster.

Another important effect of sailing astern is that the water near the hull is dragged along by hull friction and is therefore more easily sucked into the tunnel opening, even at higher speeds.

The hydrodynamic force working sideways on the ship (red arrow; figure 1B) has moved to the ship’s stern and will tend, in this case, to turn the ship to starboard, contributing to the working of the bow thruster.

STERN THRUSTER

The stern thruster usually has less power than the bow thruster.

When initiating a turn, there is another counter acting effect which also causes bow thruster performance to decrease with increasing speed ahead – as shown in figure 1B.

The bow thruster is set to starboard. It generates force b. This force b creates a turning moment a-b, together with a sideways force (see red arrow). The turning moment a-b tries to turn the ship to starboard.

All of the theory above applies to a stern thruster as well – but the location of the stern thruster makes it more difficult to comply with the construction requirements. Further, the stern thruster may lose effectiveness when giving astern on the engine due to the wake of the ship’s propeller.

All these factors mean that effectiveness of a stern thruster will be low.

The advantage of this manoeuvre is that the ship can be steered easily by the bow thruster and can be stopped immediately by the engine; the engine can also be used on ahead, if necessary, in

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

combination with the rudder to direct the stern in the required direction.

On a very few ships with a controllable pitch propeller it can be difficult to stop when having sternway. If this is known to be an issue, it can be anticipated by giving ahead at an early stage.

This approach manoeuvre can be carried out given favourable winds and no currents.

CASE STUDY: STRONG WINDS

In case of strong onshore winds a large steering angle may be needed to counter drift. Figure 2, below, shows a feeder ship of about 120m length with containers stacked three high on deck. The main engine is 8000 HP (6000 kW) and bow thruster 500 HP (appr. 380 kW). There is a crosswind of about Beaufort 6.

The ship is manoeuvring backwards into a harbour basin with the engine on slow astern, about 1000 HP (745 kW). Transverse effect of a right handed fixed pitch propeller can be about 10%, which is 1 ton.

To steer a compensating drift angle the bow thruster is set half to port, which is 2 – 3 tons force. We now have a force of 1 + 2.5 = 3.5 tons working crosswise on the ship towards the shore. Taking into account a cross wind of 6 Beaufort (12m/sec), this will give an additional force of about 15 tons. In total, 18.5 tons are working to the shore side. This requires a large steering angle. At a certain wind force – depending on size, power and windage of the vessel – the necessary drift angle may be so large that the manoeuvre is not viable.

All lines except the forward spring are released. The bow thruster is set away from the quay – in this case to starboard – and the engine on Dead Slow Ahead with port rudder. If well regulated, the ship comes square of the berth. Once the vessel is parallel, and far enough from the berth, the engine can be stopped, the back spring released and the bow thruster kept running to starboard. The ship will then pivot around the red dot at the stern of the ship.

Once the bow is far enough round to pass the ship in front, the ship can depart.

This manoeuvre needs a good spring, with some flexibility to avoid peak loads, and a calm starting engine on Dead Slow Ahead.

DEPARTURE – LARGE SHIPS WITH BOW THRUSTER

At first glance, it might seem that working with the pivot point offers a nice method to depart from the berth without the use of tugs – see figure 4, below. However, be aware that this method does not work when departing from solid quays.

Situation 1

DEPARTURE ON FORWARD SPRING PLUS BOW THRUSTER

Figure 3 shows a method to depart from the berth with the use of a forward spring. This method might be necessary for smaller ships when moored behind a large ship, for example.

Situation 2

Situation 3

Fig 2: Manoeuvring backwards onto a berth in strong cross winds

Fig 3: Departing with use of forward spring

Fig 4: Using pivot point to depart (not for use from solid quays)

In situations where this is viable, all lines are released except for the forward spring. The bow is moved towards the quay (in this case to starboard) by the bow thruster. The pivot point is the ship shoulder resting on the quay – the red dot forward. When the bow is turned far enough to starboard, the forward spring can be released, and the bow thruster is set to port. The ship will then pivot around the point indicated by the red dot at the stern of the ship. When the bow has been turned far enough, the ship can depart.

The most likely reason that this does not work when departing from solid quays is that as the bow moves away from the quay, water will flow along the ship’s hull, filling the gap created by the bow moving away. This water flow creates a low pressure zone, with the consequence that the ship’s hull is pushed towards the quay again.

What does work in this situation is to give slow astern on the engine and the bow thruster full to port once the ship is in position 2.

Due to the transverse effect of the propeller and the bow thruster, the ship will turn to port and move away from the quay. When speed astern is 1 – 2 kt, the engine can be set on ahead with the bow thruster running to port as long as needed. The ship can so depart. If for some reason the stern comes too close to the quay, starboard rudder can be given. Bear in mind that this manoeuvre can only be carried out safely if a ship with right handed propeller is moored starboard side to.

The departure manoeuvre shown in figure 4 can also be used when a container ship has to back out of the harbour basin – figure 5, below. Again, this manoeuvre can only be carried out safely if a ship with right handed propeller is moored starboard side to. When the bow has been pushed far enough in, the spring line can be released, and the engine be set astern. Due to the right handed propeller the ship may turn to starboard. Use the bow thruster to compensate if necessary.

In many ports ships are manoeuvred backwards into a harbour basin or to a jetty. A good policy; in case of emergency, and where circumstances allow, ships can easily depart if necessary. For ships moored at a river quay or jetty, current will play a large role in whether or when a ship can depart without tugs. Emergency departure may also be complicated where bridge and lock openings must be arranged.

Matters are more problematic where ships are moored head-in. Ships equipped with a bow thruster may consider the possibilities outlined above. For ships without a bow thruster, the following manoeuvres may be helpful.

Linesmen will probably not be available in case of emergency departure. The last line(s) should be taken double (with a bight) so that they can be released from the ship’s deck.

FOR SMALLER SHIPS

A small ship, say up to 80 metres length, laying head-in in a harbour basin, as shown in figure 6, below, might depart by setting a long spring.

EMERGENCY DEPARTURES

In some ports a tsunami warning may force ships to depart without tug assistance. Other reasons for an emergency departure may include fire or an explosion in the harbour – or even suddenly arising political conflicts.

All other lines except the spring are released, and the stern is pushed off by engine and rudder. Once at an appropriate angle with the quay (position 2), the ship can be given a bit of sternway to keep the bow free from the quay while at the same time heaving on the spring line.

When the ship has reached position 3, heaving can be stopped. The tight spring might give an extra swing due to the backwards movement and should then quickly be released (position 4). The ship will keep swinging a bit, and with the use of engine and rudder the ship can leave the harbour basin.

Fig 5: Using the spring to back out of a basino

Fig 6: Emergency departure: small ship lying head-in in a harbour basin

LARGER VESSELS

Now four situations will be discussed for larger ships.

It will be assumed that the ships have a right handed propeller and no bow thruster. Ships with a controllable pitch propeller are not considered, as the behaviour of such ships when giving astern thrust is unpredictable.

Wind conditions should be carefully considered before departure. Depending on the draft and windage, any onshore wind may make a safe departure risky.

HEAD IN, STARBOARD SIDE ALONGSIDE

The ship can depart as shown in figure 7, top right. All stern lines are released. The forward spring is kept fastened. The head lines are released except for one line, from the centre lead or from port. With this line, the bow is heaved towards the shore and the stern will swing away from the quay. With a prudent dead slow ahead on the engine and hard starboard rudder (2) the stern can be moved somewhat faster and further away from the shore. It is best to use a double spring, both at equal tension and preferably on the same bollard at the quay.

HEAD IN, PORT SIDE ALONGSIDE

Here, the situation becomes problematic.

When the stern is far enough off, all forward lines can be released and the engine set for slow astern with hard port rudder. The ship will start to swing further to starboard (position 3), mainly due to the right-handed propeller. Once far enough from the quay, the ship can be turned further to starboard by alternatively using ahead on the engine (eg Slow Ahead) and hard starboard rudder, and astern on the engine (eg Slow or Half Astern) with hard port rudder. When turned far enough the vessel can depart. This manoeuvre can, of course, only be done at terminals where sufficient manoeuvring room is available.

Again, the bow is heaved towards the quay, with the rudder hard to port and, if necessary, engine on dead slow. See figure 8, above.

When the stern is far enough out the engine can be set on dead slow astern. Watch the stern carefully, because the transverse effect of the propeller will pull the stern towards the quay. Once the ship is turned far enough to starboard and away from the quay, the engine can be set on ahead, again taking care that the stern is kept free from the quay. The ship should then sail to a location where there is room enough to turn.

Note: this manouevre is only suitable if:

• No vessels are moored behind the ship.

• The ship can access a location when there is room enough to turn once it has left the quay. If no such location is available, departure without tugs is too risky.

STERN IN, PORT SIDE ALONGSIDE

Heave the stern in with a stern line while keeping the stern spring fastened and releasing the forward lines. A careful dead slow astern may help. The spring can then be released without the help of linesmen.

If moored stern in with port side alongside the method shown in figure 8 could also be used with care if no ship is moored behind.

STERN IN, STARBOARD SIDE ALONGSIDEE

Similarly to the previous manoeuvre: The spring to be taken double again as a bight with the eye on board. Release the forward lines and stern lines except for a line from the centre lead aft and the aft spring. Heave the stern in with the stern line from the centre lead. A careful dead slow astern may help. The spring can then be released from the ship without the help of linesmen.

Fig 7: Emergency departure head in, starboard side alongside

Figure 8: Emergency departure head in, port side alongside

RISK MANAGEMENT

Manoeuvring without tugs involves additional risks. Safety margins are smaller and more time and careful planning is needed. This includes the need to investigate beforehand whether bringing the bow or stern towards the quay can be done without causing damage to quay and/or ship.

Particularly for emergency manoeuvres, it would be a good idea for a port to test emergency departure manoeuvres for critical berths during various wind speeds and directions and ship drafts in a simulator with the involvement of local pilots.

Both port and ship should always have a port contingency plan in place, and both Masters and pilots should be prepared for the eventuality of an emergency departure.

While it is still possible for much of the traffic to come and go from a port even where the usual tugs are not available, the possibilities discussed above depend to a large part on the experience of the pilots. The use of tugs is not an unnecessary luxury. As soon as they become available, they should be used again.

Tugs are not a luxury

FURTHER READING:

Emergency Unberthing without Tug Assistance. Kunieda, H. Yabuki, T. Okazaki. Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. TransNav Volume 9, Number 5, September 2015.

Tug Use in Port. 4th edition. STC Publishing, The Netherlands. 2021..

www.nautinst.org

Isaquias Queiroz already looking to 2023 for a place in the Olympic Games

The pilotage-sponsored athlete resumes his participation in competitions after winning the gold in Tokyo

After around two and a half months resting and with no training after the gold medal in the Tokyo Games, canoeist Isaquias Queiroz is again competing, firm in his resolve to become Brazil’s top athlete. Currently he has won one gold, two silver and one bronze medals, behind Robert Scheidt and Torben Grael, with five medals each. To achieve his goal of two more gold medals, Isaquias Queiroz knows that the 2024 Paris Games will be his last, since he believes he will no longer be in conditions to compete in Los Angeles in 2028.

This journey starts with the 2023 Canoeing World Championship, the first chance to guarantee a place for Paris. Next are the Pan-American Games, which also credits a place for the Olympics. Isaquias will again strive for the gold in the C1 1000 meters, and the double C2 500 meters, the competition that will replace the C2 1000 meters. This year he was first in the Brazil Cup (C1 1000 meters, C1 500 meters and C2 500 meters). However, in the World Cup he finished second (C1 500 meters) and sixth (C1 1000 meters). In the 2022 World Games, he won gold (C1 500 meters) and silver (C1 1000 meters). In October he will compete in the XII South American Games.

“After the 2023 World Championship, we will take a closer look at my performance for the Olympics. Our aim will always be the World Championship. Next year we will progress even further to guarantee the direct place for Paris”, states the athlete, sponsored by Brazilian Pilotage since the preparatory cycle for the Tokyo Games.

photo: Bruno Haddad

CANOEIST’S REGULAR TRAINING IN LAGOA SANTA (MINAS GERAIS-MG)

With championships in different regions and outside Brazil, he could encounter various scenarios in the competitions. Some sports benefit from performing in controlled environments, inside gymnasiums and swimming pools, but canoeing is fully impacted by environmental conditions, especially from the wind.

“When you start you can only row from one side. I row on the right. When the wind blows from the left, it is as if you’re dropping out of the race. It is almost impossible to win that way. You have to control the canoe, pull it, it’s really tough”, Isaquias comments. He always keeps on training even in poor conditions.

In Tokyo the wind helped him in the semi-final and eventually his main rival, the German Sebastian Brendel, who rows on the left, lost his place in the final. In the final, the lack of wind levelled the playing field, projecting the preparation of Isaquias Queiroz to victory. A few days earlier, he and Jacky Godmann didn’t have the same luck with the wind in the C2 1000 meters. Even so, they came in fourth.

Isaquias Queiroz is accustomed to the high temperatures in Brazil and at the Lagoa Santa training center in the state of Minas Gerais, and he acknowledges the difficulty in cold climates. Because his training is always very intense, the medal winner’s immunity is impaired, and he catches a cold when traveling. Moreover, colder temperatures require more clothes, which are a hindrance when rowing.

“The best thing is for me to compete in a country with plenty of sunshine. Then I can say to the others: now you’ll feel what it’s like to row a thousand meters under a hot sun”, he jokes.

The 28-year-old athlete is already thinking of the end of his Olympic career. Concerning the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, he says he will no longer be in ideal conditions to compete:

“Although I‘ll still be young, in canoeing we start and finish early. It’s a sport that demands a lot from the body, knees, backbone and shoulders.“

Missing the family is also a burden. Since he began very early and gave up many things (he was 15 years old when he joined the Team Brazil), he misses the social life and his family.

“I want to enjoy my family more and live a little of my own life. My life has been very much sport driven. So, after the Olympics I’m going to enjoy what I’ve created.”

Isaquias Queiroz intends to enjoy his legacy, perhaps encouraging some athletes At first, he doesn’t want to be a coach because of the intense routine it would entail but is grateful to everyone who has supported him and accompanied him in this process.

“Without my coaches, partnerships and sponsors, I wouldn’t be the guy that everyone knows.”

According to this Bahian from Ubaitaba, the sponsors’ collaboration allows him to focus on his training and gives him and his family greater quality of life.

“Having a sponsor gives me peace of mind. I have a son who needs to study and have healthy food that I never had. It’s much easier to continue training and being dedicated to winning medals.”

photo: Bruno Haddad

SUL EXPORT

PILOTAGE DIRECTOR DEFENDS PORT PLANNING

Pilot Marcio Fausto, technical director of Brazilian Pilotage, was one of the speakers of the Sul Export panel who discussed the formation of logistic corridors and the development of access to ports in the region. The event was held on May 16 to 17 in Florianópolis. Marcio Fausto defended the importance of port planning based on the recommendations of the World Association for Water Borne Transport Infrastructure (Pianc): "We hope to adapt the access; namely, that the engineering projects adopt good international practices, maintain the design of the channel and expedite problem-solving, such as silting, shipwrecked hulls and defective signage. Unfortunately, this is not our reality. Pilotage adapts and becomes part of the solution".

CONDOLENCES

DEEPEST SYMPATHY FOR THE DEATHS OF COMMANDER PEDRO LUPPI, ADMIRAL TARCÍSIO PEREIRA AND PILOT VITOR EMANOEL DE CASTRO

The last four months have been of deep sorrow for the pilotage. In July, Navy Captain Pedro Luppi died, executive secretary of Barra do Rio Grande Pilotage (Rio Grande do Sul-RS), former captain of the Rio Grande do Sul ports. In August, Admiral Tarcísio Jorge Caldas Pereira passed away, advisor to the National Pilotage Council in Brasilia, pilotage representative on the Managing Board of the Instituto Brasil Logística (IBL), and former director of the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq Nacional Agência de Transportes Aquaviários). That same month, Rio de Janeiro Pilotage lost pilot Vitor Emanoel Costa de Castro, after 36 years of exemplary work. Brazilian Pilotage offers its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of these professionals held so dear to the maritime community.

photo: Publicity

photos: Publicity

PEDRO LUPPI

TARCÍSIO JORGE CALDAS PEREIRA

VITOR EMANOEL COSTA DE CASTRO

RESCUE

BAHIA PILOTAGE PERFORMS

FOUR RESCUES IN TODOS OS SANTOS BAY

Between May and August, Bahia Pilotage contributed to four rescues in Todos os Santos Bay, fulfilling every seaman's duty and the profession’s legal obligation. In May, the crew of the pilot boat saved a man who was drowning near Monte Serrat Point. In July, two crew members of a yacht that had capsized were rescued. In August, two incidents came in quick succession. When they were finishing towing a vessel that was drifting near Itaparica Island, the pilotage crew sighted a canoe in trouble navigating, and returned immediately to tow it to Bom Despacho terminal.

THIRD EDITION OF MARITIME PROCEDURAL LAW

Launch of the book by the Rio de Janeiro pilot, Dr Matusalém Gonçalves Pimenta, at the Rio de Janeiro State School of Magistrates (Emerj). In its third edition, Maritime Procedural Law updates the changes sedimented after the new 2015 Civil Procedure Code. In addition, it includes proposals for the Maritime Court, such as a change in its rules of procedure to create a higher body in court, so that the person judged has the right to appeal. Prof Matusalém Gonçalves Pimenta also makes an up-to-date evaluation of the shipwreck of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which occurred off the Italian coast in January 2012.

BAD WEATHER

PILOT STATIONS MINIMIZE CYCLONE ECONOMIC EFFECTS IN THE SOUTH

In May, pilot stations in the Southern region of Brazil contributed to minimizing the effects of the Yakecan cyclone on port operations, thus mitigating economic losses. Predicting the arrival of bad weather that would lead to traffic restrictions in every port, the pilot stations joined with the Maritime and Port Authorities, bringing forward maneuvers and continuously assessing the conditions of the access channels, in order to attenuate the impacts on the logistics workability of the port complexes.

photo: Publicity

photo: Publicity

MEDIA SUCCESS

"DON’T LET THE SEA SWALLOW YOU"

The highlight of the period on social media was the video of the pilot motorboat from Paranaguá (Paraná State - PR) braving rough seas during the passage of an extratropical cyclone along the coast on August 11th. On that occasion, nine-meter-high waves were recorded. The motorboat was on its way to recover the pilot station’s ODAS buoy, after its mooring broke and was drifting towards the coast due to the bad weather. On Instagram alone the video had 14,000 views, to the sound of “Don’t let the sea swallow you”, by the Brazilian rock band Charlie Brown Jr.

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

Internet users seem to really like movement in pilotage networks. Another popular content was that of the video in which we compiled boarding and disembarking in many different situations in different pilotage zones. We reached more than 7,000 accounts with the post.

IN THE WAKE OF WEB TRENDS

And we got into the trend of posts with random photos and soundtrack, with images of boarding and disembarking shots taken during the Rumos Práticos visits to the pilot stations. In this case, we recorded almost 6,000 views with the photo montage video.

@freepik

PORT PLANNING

Recommendations for Navigational Accesses

PLANEJAMENTO PORTUÁRIO – Recomendações para Acessos Náuticos (PORT PLANNING – Recommendations for Navigational Accesses) is a contribution by 25 authors with suggestions for port projects or alterations to existing facilities. Under the coordination of professors Edson Mesquita dos Santos and Sergio H. Sphaier, marine consultant Mario Calixto and pilot Marcelo Cajaty, the volume is the result of the work of the committee that drafted the second edition of the ABNT standard on port planning (ABNT NBR 13246:2017), which was approved and, months later, cancelled with no explanation whatsoever.

The group that participated in this work took advantage of the effort to format the standard and produced a compendium with the latest international references. Among the authors are designers, researchers, engineers, waterway specialists, ship owners, port workers, pilots and terminal representatives. They based the work on documents from the International Navigation Association (Pianc), the US Army Corps of Engineers handbook and recommendations from Spanish maritime projects.

One of the authors, Luís Fernando Resano, CEO of the Associação Brasileira dos Armadores de Cabotagem (AbacBrazilian Association of Cabotage Shipowners), suggested at the time a review of the ABNT standard, the review board including Professor Edson Mesquita as secretary.

Vice-Admiral Wilson Pereira de Lima Filho, former president of the Maritime Court, signs the foreword. Pilotage of Brazil was the publisher. The book is available for free download at praticagemdobrasil.org.br