View Single Post
Old 12-16-2018, 07:13 PM   #12
McGillicuddy
Guru
 
City: New Orleans
Vessel Name: Scot Free
Vessel Model: Cheoy Lee 53' Efficient
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 754
Big difference between a tug and a pilot boat eh?
Pilots are required for foreign vessels navigating in the river or for domestic vessels without a Master holding a state license.
There are three pilot associations in the river, each with a designated operating area:
1). Bar Pilot. From Sea Buoy to Head of Passes
2) Crescent Pilot. From Head of Passes to Mile 90. Also berths ships in the Port of New Orleans up to about Mile 95 if necessary.
3) New Orleans/Baton Rouge (NOBRA). From Mile 90 to max navigation which for most ships is the upper reaches of Baton Rouge. Lower bridges/shallow draft above there limit the size of vessels that can navigate above BR.
A pilot exchange takes place at each of the convergences of operating areas. You may well have seen a pilot boat as an exchange will take place about three miles below Algiers Point. Also crew boats pick up repair techs, surveyors, government officials or various sundry persons as needed. Usually that happens with the ship at anchor but it sometimes happens underway. The ship has to slow to minimum steerage speed to allow the crewboat to hold alongside a pilot ladder.
There are two crewboat operators with docks just below the French Quarter and they also use these boats the exchange pilots.
McGillicuddy is offline   Reply With Quote