UNIPIL

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MARITIME PILOTS

The Polish Maritime Code of 2001 and the regulations of the Minister of Infrastructure from 2003 concerning the qualifications of maritime pilots, regulate the qualifications of maritime pilots in Poland. The Chief Pilot of the Gdynia Pilot Station is appointed by the station's team of pilots. His scope of competence is defined by the Station's Set of Rules from 2003.The Polish pilotage service is governed by two Acts : The Polish Maritime Code (2001), The Decree of the Ministry of Transport (2003). The pilots of Gdynia Pilot Station elect their Chief Pilot, whose competences are defined in Pilot Station Regulations (2003).

What is required of Applicants for the Sea Pilot Certificate and the Pilot Permission for Vessels up to 130 m?

They have to posses the Master Mariner Certificate on Ships of 3000 Gross Tonnage and more.
They have to have 1 year of practical experience as Captains on ships navigating internationally.
They have to possess a valid health certificate.
They have to have 6 months of practical training in the pilotage area within 1 year. During this training period, they must participate in at least 150 pilotage services and pass a pilotage exam before the Chief Pilot.
They have to pass a course on a ship-manoeuvring simulator.
They have to pass an exam on the pilotage area and on legal issues and procedures.

How to obtain the consecutive Pilot Permission?

For ships longer than 130 m, you have to work 12 months as a pilot and pilot at least 100 ships of up to 130 m length.
For ships longer than 170 m, you have to work 24 months as a pilot and pilot at least 50 ships of the length of 130-170 m.
For ships longer than 200 m, you have to work 36 months as a pilot and pilot at least 15 ships of the length of 170-200 m. Additionally, you have to pass our Manned Model Handling Course for Masters and Chief Mates of Large Ships and of Ships With Unusual Manoeuvring Characteristics.

THE GDYNIA PILOT STATION'S PERSONNEL POLICY

The personnel policy of the Gdynia Pilot Station is transparent and fair. According to its needs, the Station, which offers pilotage services, can employ and train a certain number of pilots like other companies. However, if you are interested in joining our team, you should be prepared to wait quite a long time for a vacancy because the personnel turnover in our team of pilots is very low. Due to the large number of applicants on the one hand and our limited capacities on the other, as well as the high requirements for future pilots, the Pilot Station can choose only the best of the applicants.

INTRODUCTION

The martime pilot plays an important role in ensuring maritime safety, ship traffic efficiency and port access, in minimising potential risks for ships and the port infrastructure and in protecting the environment. Being the first person to board an inbound ship, the pilot has the chance to inform the competent administrative and port authorities about all anomalies noticed, that could compromise maritime safety and pollute the environment.

Martime pilots are highly qualified advisors to Captains and specialised in guiding ships into port or through shallow coastal waters. They often work on ships that are close to exceeding the parameters permitted in the pilotage waters. When piloting a ship, the pilot becomes an important crew member and often takes over navigation and manoeuvres the ship in the name of the Captain.

As a responsible partner of the Captain, the pilot is expected to be proficient in ship handling as defined by the STWC Convention for ship Captains and be familiar with the characteristics of the local area. Well-trained harbour pilots use their knowledge and experience to perform their job safely and efficiently. Because of their expertise in handling and manoeuvring ships within limited waters, they are expected to manage even dangerous situations, cooperate with Captains and their crews and ensure maritime safety.

Required Knowledge and Skills

Pilots must possess detailed knowledge of the pilotage area in terms of geography, meteorology and hydrology.
Pilots must possess detailed knowledge of local, national and international laws and regulations.
Pilots must possess detailed knowledge of the sea-traffic organisation in the pilotage area and the corresponding laws and rules.
Pilots must be able to determine and to estimate the position of a ship in motion with or without maps or other navigational aids.
Pilots must have profound knowledge of and experience in manoeuvring and handling ships of any type and size.

To become a pilot does not mean to get a job that offers the well-deserved rest after years at sea or a time-out to sort out personal matters. The pilot applicant must be aware of the fact that his of her future job will be a prestige job with high responsibility. However, the job is also very stressful and you are always under the pressure of taking the right decision. Pilots must be good team workers. When boarding a ship in bad weather conditions, they are likely to be exposed to danger.

THE GDYNIA PILOT STATION'S PERSONNEL POLICY STANDARDS

The term personnel policy refers to our human resources management, in particular to recruitment, the expansion of our capacities and the consistency of our high service standards.
The personnel policy is responsible for the company's employment structure and recruitment; it also ensures the pilots a steady job.
To successfully implement its personnel policy, the Gdynia Pilot Station has to take care of the following:
1. personnel planning
2. the selection of applicants
3. the employment of future harbour pilots
4. training and work instruction
5. continued proficiency of the pilots and
6. performance evaluation.

1. Personnel Planning

Personnel planning involves the consideration of both the Pilot Station's current and future demand for personnel, that will be necessary to offer best-quality pilotage services.

Factors that have to be Considered in Personnel Planning

The current personnel structure including the age and the permissions of the pilots currently employed.
The age structure of the pilots newly employed and the intervals at which pilot permissions can be obtained.
The number of pilots necessary to fulfil the Pilot Station's tasks, considering especially:
- the forecasted ship traffic in the pilotage area and
- the estimated personnel turnover and retirements.
The establishment of a contingency plan to minimise a potential personnel deficit, which might arise due to unexpected accidents, illnesses, the personnel turnover etc.

2. The Selection of Applicants

The main aim of the selection process is, to determine whether the applicant meets the Pilot Station's requirements. During this procedure, we choose of all the applicants the most talented and best-prepared ones who have the best qualifications and hence meet the Station's requirements better than the others do.

The Selection Steps

Determination of the selection criteria:
- formal requirements (mandatory by law):
  - Master Mariner Certificate
  - 12 months of practical experience as Captain
  - 6 months of practical experience in pilotage as pilot candidate
  - valid health certificate
  - certificate of successful completion of a course on ship-manoeuvring in a simulator
  - qualification examination certificate
- required documents:
  - letter of application/ cover letter
  - resume
  - the documents mentioned under "formal requirements"
- requested skills and documents:
  - reference letters
  - pilot exemption certificate
  - proficiency in independent manoeuvring
  - any other relevant course certifcates
  - copy of the seafarer's book record of the types and sizes of ships you were in charge of.
Determination of the next employment start date:
we inform the applicants when vacancies will become available.
Handling of applications:
the Chief Pilot is in charge of the list of the pilot applicants and manages their applications and attached documents.
Preliminary qualifiaction examination:
- the examination is carried out by the Chief Pilot and Management who choose at least 2 candidates for one vacancy
- criteria of the preliminary examination:
  - number of pilots of the same age
  - age
  - practical experience as Captain
  - pilot exemption certificate and
  - proficiency in independent manoeuvring.

3. The Employment of Future Harbour Pilots

Employing new pilots aims at ensuring, that the Pilot Station has always a competent team of pilots who have the required professional qualifications and exceptional potential to fulfil the duties of a martime pilot, and to meet the job's specific psychological requirements. The Gdynia Pilot Station attaches great importance to the process of employment being clear and transparent. Hence, the Station precisely explains the rules of employment on its website and provides applicants with detailed information on this matter. The decision on who of the applicants that have passed the preliminary qualifications will be employed, is made by the Gdynia Pilot Station's team of pilots.

The candidate is expected to take part in a psychological test to check the following:

way of reacting
logical thinking
problem anticipation
decision making
mental flexibility
conentration
stress resistance
emotional stability
problem solving
social competence and
initiative and commitment.

Decisive criteria for the employment of candidates who have passed the preliminary qualification:

personal interview
test results and
voting.

The Chief Pilot informs the candidate whether he has been finally accepted or rejected.

4. Training and Work Instruction

The Pilot Station provides the candidates with proper training that meets formal requirements and offers them the opportunity to enhance their professional skills. The training programme complies with Polish and international requirements and explains the pilot's duties to protect life at sea and the environment. It also complies with the recommendations of the A.960 IMO resolution (Recommendations on Training and Certification and on Operational Procedures for Maritime Pilots [...]).

During the programme, the candidate is trained under the supervision of the pilots to work on any ship type, in any weather condition, at any time of the day and the year. The programme includes also simulator training and manned model training.

The Gdynia Pilot Station also instructs its pilots how to safely embark and disembark in various weather conditions.

A well-working pilot station is the result of a good team of pilots, who carry out their tasks responsibly. Hence, also the pilot candidate joins the team already on his or her first day of practical training. The Chief Pilot appoints the pilot instructors whose job it is to monitor the training progress, introduce the candidate to the Station's team, supervise his of her practical training and check his or her newly acquired knowledge and skills.

5. Continued Proficiency of the Pilots

To ensure the continued proficiency of its pilots, the Gdynia Pilot Station regularely updates their theoretical and practical knowledge of new technologies and equipment. The Station informs its pilots sufficiently about innovations that have an impact on pilotage.

6. Performance Evaluation

The Gdynia Pilot Station has developed a system of periodical evaluation of its pilots' performances. This gives us an overview of the current situation and its development in terms of pilot permissions, accidents and conduct. The pilots' performances are discussed during team meetings. In accordance with the ISO standard, we evaluate our pilots' performances on the basis of the supplier evaluation card.