What is a Pilot?
Pilot is a nautical term that has its roots in ancient Phoenician maritime history. The Pilot is the chief person, duly qualified, to navigate ships into or out of a harbor or through certain difficult waters. The Pilot’s familiarity with the water that is being traversed allows the ship to be safely navigated to its port. Pilots are in command of large ocean-going commercial ships such as tankers, Ro/Ro, passenger, container and general cargo ships. The Pilot’s local knowledge is immeasurable.
The United States Supreme Court summarized the Pilot's job in an 1851 opinion:
“A Pilot, so far as respects the navigation of the vessel in that part of the voyage which is his pilotage ground, is the temporary master charged with the safety of the vessel and cargo, and of the lives of those on board, and instructed with the command of the crew.”
As clearly as the Supreme Court spoke in 1851, it was not the first governmental body to extoll the importance of Pilots. The King of England sought regulation when Maryland was a colony and the first Maryland legislative session regulated Pilots as one of its first acts in 1787.
“A Pilot must have a memory of substance; but there are two higher qualities which he must also have. He must have good and quick judgment and decision, and a cool, calm courage that no peril can shake.” - Mark Twain
Why are Pilots necessary?
The commercial ships the Maryland Pilots navigate can be longer than four football fields, and are powered by massive engines that consume tons of dense fuel oil.
Like an iceberg, most of the ship is underwater and unseen. In fact, so much of the ship may be submerged that the clearance between the bottom of the ship and the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay can be as little as a couple of feet. Ships with more than 47 feet of draft (how deep the ship sits in the water) routinely transit the 50’ main shipping channel. Maryland Pilots are men and women who are selected, licensed and regulated by the Maryland State Board of Pilots to guide ships on these passages.
As a result of a highly competitive selection process and an extensive training program, the Pilots representing Marylanders today are among the best in the world at what they do. In addition, state-licensed Pilots maneuver the ships when docking, casting off from the pier, or otherwise moving anywhere in Maryland waters. The role of the Pilot is critical for many reasons. An unfortunate incident, like an oil spill, could cause a lasting environmental impact and since the Chesapeake Bay is a window to foreign trade, national security is an ever-present issue.
