Pilotage in the Port of New York.

The report presents the results of a study of pilotage in the Port of New York. A major goal was to identify pilotage information, its source, the way it is used, and how it relates to the pilots command orders. Seventeen transits in six areas of the harbor were recorded on video tape. In edited form they provide more than 24 hours of detailed descriptions of piloting events. Discussions are presented of the navigation problems in the major harbor areas and the types of information the pilots use for their maneuvering decisions. It was concluded that three interacting sources of information form the basis for the decision process local knowledge, transit specific information, and knowledge of shiphandling. His local knowledge permits the pilot to maintain orientation, fix position, and anticipate dynamic characteristics of the environment. Transit specific information builds before and during the transit and is a source of information about the dynamics of the environment, the ship, and their interactions. Shiphandling knowledge serves as a background for most order decisions. It was concluded that there are five basic conning positions that have important implications for navigation and bridge design and layout. It was concluded that technical advances in propulsion control are not being fully utilized to meet the navigation requirements in pilotage. Author