Navigation and Pilotage

The pilotage dispatch rules were amended during the recent BC Coast pilots agreement to give more flexibility to the industry in placing orders for pilots:

To reiterate, the changes implemented were:

(1)    Moving the 1700 dispatch to 1730
(2)    Reducing the 12-hour order time to 10-hours for all local assignments in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria.
(3)    Changing the “one change or cancellation” to “a change and/or a cancellation”.
(4)    Increasing the shift pilot order time from 1130 to an hour window from 1130 to 1230.

In addition, in the previous agreement agents, had the ability to place an order between 2300 and 0759 for an 1100 order time.The Pacific Pilotage Authority is requesting that all orders for jobs between  0001 and 1059 are placed by 1730.    Unfortunately things have not improved and in fact the number of new orders coming in after 1730 have increased.

As a result of our logistical and fatigue related concerns we will be implementing the following with immediate effect:

(1)    We will not accept any NEW orders between the hours of 1730 and 2300 for order times commencing 0001 and 1059 unless it is an emergency.

(2)    We will of course accept orders during this time for order times 1100 or later.(3)    New orders can also still be placed between 2300 and 0759 for an 1100 order as was previously agreed to.    (4)    Any orders placed by 1730 can of course still be changed and/or cancelled and if need be get reordered as per the new agreement.

In addition in order to assist this process the PPA will be carrying out the following informational sessions:

(1)    Meetings with terminals to discuss the new 10-hour dispatch and additional changes.

(2)    Workshops or seminars on dispatching and the new changes for any agency that requests it.

Please understand that this is a logistics issue and fatigue issue because without adequate planning and the lack of inter-island transportation we are simply not able to move pilots around the area to cover the late requests.