Maritime glossary
Pilotage
The guidance of a ship through confined or hazardous waters by a local maritime pilot.
Definition
Pilotage is the conduct of a vessel through difficult waters, harbour approaches, rivers, and canals, by a pilot with detailed local knowledge who boards for the passage. Pilotage is compulsory in most ports above a size threshold. The pilot advises the master, who keeps overall command. The pilot boards from a pilot boat at the pilot station, often the first fixed point in a port call and a key timing reference for agents.
How Vessel Hunter uses Pilotage
The pilot station is the first hard waypoint of a port call. Vessel Hunter’s ETA and arrival timeline let agents meet the ship there, not after it berths.
Related terms
- Anchorage
A designated area off a port where vessels anchor to wait for a berth, orders, or tide.
- Berth
The specific quay or jetty position where a vessel ties up to load, discharge, or lay up.
- Tug
A powerful small vessel that tows, pushes, and assists larger ships in ports, on rivers, and at sea.
- Master
The captain of a merchant vessel, with overall command, who signs the bill of lading and represents the owner aboard.
The bigger picture
Pilotage is one piece of the commercial maritime picture Vessel Hunter pulls together for shipyards, suppliers, service providers, and port agents. Every vessel record bundles AIS, ownership, inspections, dry-dock history, casualty record, classification status, and a verified contact for the operator decision-maker behind the ship, so the team that reaches out first wins the work.
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