Canadian Vessels and Marine Pilotage
Canadian vessels have two choices when in compulsory pilotage areas:
1. Board a marine pilot, licensed by an independent regulator. The benefits of this include:
- Highly-qualified pilots with:
- extensive knowledge of local waters
- years of experience
- specialized training
- rigorous testing
- continuous learning to maintain currency of knowledge
- an outstanding safety record
- tariffs that are among the lowest in the world.
2. Rely on an officer with Canadian citizenship possessing a pilotage certificate on board the vessel. Despite the compulsory nature of Canada's pilotage regime, Canadian shipping companies can avoid having to engage pilots by taking advantage of the provision in the Pilotage Act regarding pilotage certificates.
- If a ship's officer has knowledge of local waters equivalent to that of a licensed pilot, that officer is eligible for a pilotage certificate
- Certification is achieved by passing examinations administered by pilotage authorities which are independent crown corporations responsible for the regulation of pilotage.
For information about pilotage certification practices elsewhere in the world, click here.
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