Florida Harbor Pilots Association

_________
NEWS

January 2015

Did You Know?

CONTACT FHPA
Captain Stuart Lilly
PO Box 38294
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 224-0219 office
(305) 725-2543 cell
kp84@yahoo.com

Florida harbor pilots must be able to draw a map of their port by

memory as part of their testing.
-WLRN Public Radio and Television Miami/South Florida

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: THE SPECIALIZED

TRAINING OF HARBOR PILOTS
Currently, Florida has nearly 100 highly-skilled and trained professional harbor pilots
that serve the states 14 deep-water seaports. With tens of thousands of commercial ships
transiting Florida's waters annually, Floridas harbor pilots are dedicated to protecting the
state's resources and safely and efficiently moving these ships 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year. On each of these vessels is a Division of Business and
Professional Regulation (DBPR)-licensed harbor pilot, taking navigational control and
managing a wide variety of ship traffic, while avoiding thousands of recreational boaters
crisscrossing Florida's waters.
Background and Education
In order to attract the best and brightest candidates to Florida, years of seagoing
experience is required beyond a high school or college education. Because of this
requirement, nearly all harbor pilots have graduated from one of the six maritime
academies around the country; most of them have spent an average of ten years at sea,
working as licensed deck officers; most have attained the highest grade of license in the
maritime world, Master Mariner, unlimited tonnage; and, most of them were then given
command of oceangoing ships around the world.

ON THE HORIZON
Remember, if you have a
newsworthy item to share, please
submit the complete details to:
Kristen Bridges at
kristen@bascomllc.com
or (850) 222-2140.

Selection
The DBPR, through the Board of Pilot Commissioners, determines the number of harbor
pilots in all ports and announces openings. The DBPR then conducts a competitive exam
for U.S. mariners nationwide who have the required years of seagoing experience and are
both physically and mentally fit. Approved candidates then spend hundreds of hours
studying for a very arduous exam on law, regulations, ship handling and local
knowledge, with a critical part of the exam covering navigational hazards. Additionally,
every examinee is given a large sheet of paper with only the land mass outline of their
specific seaport, and is then asked to reproduce the official nautical chart and all its
details from memory. The highest scoring examinees are appointed as 'deputy pilot' to
that port and begin training.
Advanced Training
Just because newly-appointed deputy pilots were ship captains in their previous careers
does not mean they start immediately handling large cargo and passenger ships. Every
new deputy pilot must train full time in a two to three year program, learning the skills of
advanced ship handling in narrow, congested channels and of vessel traffic management.
(Continued on Page 2)

FloridaPilots.com | @FLHarborPilots | FB.com/FloridaHarborPilotsAssociation

Florida Harbor Pilots Association

Page 2
(Continued from Page 1)
The fully-licensed harbor pilots handle the training of all new deputy pilots because they have decades of collective experience in
handling all types of ships in a wide variety of weather conditions. Further, because no two ports are alike, new deputy pilots are
trained in only one port, making them local experts and virtually guaranteeing a piloting system that protects the safety and
efficiency of all ports.
Following port-specific training, every deputy pilot must pass yet another rigorous exam before becoming fully licensed, and
authorized to handle all sizes and types of ships in that port. This unique, specialized training is what separates a Florida pilot from
every ship captain. Ship captains are not allowed to drive their ships in and out of Florida's ports for the following reasons: they
represent the commercial interests of their employer, the ship owner; they are not concerned with the protection of the ports like
pilots are; and, they have no local knowledge of Florida ports like harbor pilots do.
Harbor pilots work together as a team, managing the flow of commerce safely and efficiently. They constantly make go/no-go
decisions on navigation safety; and, their licenses are always on the line because they are always liable for their actions. This proven
system of pilotage protects the state resources and moves commerce efficiently. The superior safety record of Florida's harbor pilots
demonstrates their unwavering commitment to safety.
Captain Stuart Lilly, President, Florida Harbor Pilots Association

BIG SHIP, BIG BUSINESS: LARGEST SHIP IN CITYS HISTORY ADDS

JACKSONVILLE TO ROUTE
JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL - January 6, 2015 - Carrying 46,000 tons of cargo, the container ship MOL
Competence unloaded at the Port of Jacksonville on Tuesday, marking not only the arrival of the largest ship in the city's history, but
a moment of victory for those involved.
To read this article in full, please visit: http://bit.ly/1wCzomy.

PORT MIAMI IS WORLDS BUSIEST CRUISE PORT

SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNAL - December 1, 2014 - Port Miami is the world's busiest cruise port with 4.8 million
multiday cruise passengers, according to preliminary data from the 2014 fiscal year.
To read this article in full, please visit: http://bit.ly/14D5Wpv.

FHPA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT COMPLETES INTERNSHIP WITH TAMPA PILOTS

Each year, the Florida Harbor Pilots Association identifies two minority cadets attending any of the six
maritime colleges nationwide who show enthusiasm and aptitude for a possible career track as a harbor
pilot within the State of Florida.
For more information on FHPA scholarships, please visit http://bit.ly/1jzqtNM.
Adel Sotolongo, a graduate of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami and junior at Texas Maritime
Academy, receiving his FHPA scholarship during his maritime internship with the Biscayne Bay Pilots
Association.

FloridaPilots.com | @FLHarborPilots | FB.com/FloridaHarborPilotsAssociation