PILOT DIARIES WITH CAPT. HANNA ODENGRUND

PILOT DIARIES

Delighted to introduce you to Hanna Odengrund, who I came across online via her awesome Instagram account highlighting the work of marine pilots. Later in 2019, I had the pleasure of meeting Hanna at the World Maritime University International Women’s Conference held in Malmö, Sweden.

Hanna stayed on after the conference to be the best tour guide an Australian Harbour Master could ask for. She took me to visit the team at the Malmö VTS, which is truly unique in its capability to work across Swedish and Danish regulations to provide a combined VTS, meet the Swedish maritime pilot allocators, as well as a bike tour of the city of Malmö with its beautiful parks and waterfront, and rich maritime history.

It is wonderful to have Hanna, who has 14 years of experience working as a marine pilot with the Swedish Maritime Administration in Norrköping, provide you with an insight into the working day of a marine pilot.

JEANINE DRUMMOND MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL MARINE ADVISOR AT INTEGRAL MARITIME, AUSTRALIA

Capt. Hanna Odengrund

Port of Norrköping, Sweden

The weather had been cold for about a week, with snow falling on and off during the last few days. A phone rings at 0030 somewhere in the suburbs of Norrköping. ”Hello?” “Good morning, Hanna. It’s time for work, I will have a taxi for you in 30 minutes. Adelina D for Pampus 6, boarding at 0300. ” “OK, thanks. ”

As a Pilot at Norrköping, Sweden, I am responsible for piloting ships into and out of the Swedish East coast ports of Oxelösund and Norrköping. Together with my colleagues, we assist around 3500 ships in our ports every year.

This morning my assignment brought me onboard Adelina D, a container vessel of 168m and with a draught of 9.5m. A mediumsized vessel in our eyes. The ship and its’ crew are regular visitors to Norrköping. I am not onboard yet though, first I have to tell you how I got there.

So, I woke up in the basement of our townhouse, in my “pilot cave” as we named it when we re-decorated it from a storage space to my hideaway when on duty.

After hanging up the phone, I switch on the light next to my bed right away and sit up. I look over at my clothes hanging on the chair, carefully prepared to save time. Winter is here, so putting on thermal undergarments is a necessity. The next layer is navy work pants, a navy shirt, and a fleece zip sweater. Thick socks and an extra pair in the backpack, in case my feet get wet while boarding.

After double-checking the contents of my backpack, I tiptoe upstairs, careful not to wake my sleeping family. I grab something to eat and before I know it, my taxi is here.

Relaxing in the back seat of the car, I take out my phone. I check the apps for weather conditions and ship data. I switch on some music in my headphones and spend the rest of the ride trying to think of nothing. My mind however keeps working unconsciously creating plans for the maneuver, and a few contingency plans, just in case something out of the ordinary happens; like it is always working to be prepared for everything.

One hour later, we arrive at the Pilot station in Oxelösund. I transfer from the car to the pilot boat where the boat crew is waiting for me.

PILOT 212 SE makes its way through the southeasterly waves. 26 knots on full ahead, but we run at 21 to save fuel. The ride is smooth today, the weather being cold but calm. I almost fall asleep in the back of the boat, feeling the motions of the water.

“Ten minutes to boarding” . Time to put on my gear. Jacket with thermo lining, lifejacket, backpack, hat, helmet, and gloves. I get dressed a bit too quickly (why do I never learn?), so I have to sit on the sofa and wait a while during the approach. Dressed for winter, it is starting to get a bit toasty inside my coat by now.

Outside the window, I see the silhouette of the vessel approaching, deck lights on. As we open the door to the aft deck the fresh, cool air comes streaming towards me, making me feel awake and focused.

Winds from the southeast mean the lee side is on the starboard side on arrival. “Pilot ladder on the starboard side, 2 meters above the water. Boarding speed 8 knots” . A classic order on VHF channel 10, from the Pilot office to the ship. I get a thumbs up from the boatman and step up onto the boarding platform. The vessel is heavily loaded today, so the freeboard is quite low (only 3 m). That means my climb on the pilot ladder is just a few steps. I make my way up the eight decks to the bridge, using the stairs outside of the accommodation due to Covid restrictions. When I arrive on the bridge (to be honest, a bit out of breath after climbing all the stairs) the first thing I see are two big smiles. The Captain and Chief Officer are waiting inside the door, welcoming me onboard their vessel.

“Coffee with milk, right?” The Chief Officer really knows how to make me feel welcome remembering how I take my coffee. “Yes, thank you. That would be great” .

Adelina D is one of the faster vessels calling our ports. This morning we make our way with 16 knots through the archipelago. Everything runs smoothly during the threehour passage. The crew is preparing for the arrival, chatting behind the chart table. The Captain and I talk about everything and nothing. From time to time, simply enjoying the silence while having another cup of freshly ground coffee.

As we start approaching the channel to the port we reduce our speed, preparing for the tug to be connected to the stern. We are making a swing and proceeding stern first to our berth, so the tug is mandatory for this vessel.

Today, like most days I did not need to use the backup plans my brain created earlier. Everything went according to my initial plan. After all lines were made fast and the tug let go, I received yet another smile from the captain, “Thank you for your assistance. It was a pleasure, as always” .

While we were busy maneuvering, dawn just started breaking. The dark winter sky beginning to crack with pink and blue. I realize that if I hurry I can make it home just in time to walk my kids to school.

In my eyes, working as a Pilot really is the best part of two worlds. I get to handle ships, meet crews from all over the world and be a part of the supply chain. All that, with the wonderful bonus of coming home to my family every day. Perhaps I have found a way of having the cake and eating it too?