Langstone Harbour Pilotage Regulations

A. PILOT BOAT RECOGNITION AND BOARDING POINT
1. Langstone Pilots will be embarked from the Southampton Pilot Boat, which may be recognized by the yellow strips on each side of the hull.

2. The boarding point for Langstone Pilots is 1.5 miles south of the Langstone Fairway pile.

3. Direct communication may be made with the pilot boat on VHF Channel 9 or 12 when on station.

4. The Master of a vessel having accepted the service on an authorised pilot is required to facilitate his boarding and disembarkation and to comply with the Merchant Shipping (Pilot Transfer arrangements) Regulations.

B. INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO PILOTS
1. The Master of a vessel who has accepted the services of an authorised pilot is required to declare its draught, length and beam, and to provide him with other information relating to the ship or its cargo and its security status as he requires and is necessary to enable the pilot to carry out his duties.

2. The Master of a vessel is required to bring to the notice of an authorised pilot any defects in, and any matter peculiar to, his ship and its machinery and equipment which might affect the navigation of the ship.

3. The Master of a vessel is required to prepare a navigation passage plan for the CHA’s area of jurisdiction. This must be discussed with the pilot and compared with the Port Pilotage Plan prior to commencing the pilotage act.

C. REQUESTS FOR PILOTS AND ETA/ETD REPORTING
1. Vessels bound for Langstone Harbour and requiring the services of a pilot should make their request at least 24 hours in advance to the Langstone Harbour Master by facsimile on 023 9246 7144. Additionally, the Harbour Master may be contacted by telephone on 023 9246 3419 or by email: harbourmaster@langstoneharbour.org.uk. Vessels arriving on Saturday or Sunday must make their request for a pilot before 0900 hrs on the preceding Friday.

2. All ETAs should refer to arrival at the Langstone pilot boarding point, 1.5 miles south of the Langstone Fairway pile.

3. A request for pilotage must include details of the vessel’s Gross Tonnage, overall length, draught and beam, the last port of call, quantity and type of cargo on board, intended berth and number of persons on board.

4. The pilot must be informed of the vessel’s ETD upon boarding inward.

D. PILOTAGE EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES
1. Bona fide Deck Officers of ships who are established, regular and frequent visitors to Langstone Harbour may apply for and be issued with Pilotage Exemption Certificates for the area, subject to their being able to satisfy Langstone CHA as to their fitness to hold such certificate.

2. These certificates will apply only to the Langstone CHA’s area of jurisdiction.

Application
3. Application for a pilotage exemption certificate should be made on the prescribed form, which is obtainable from the Harbour Manager’s office. It should be accompanied by satisfactory written evidence of medical fitness, including eyesight, by a qualified medical practitioner registered in the United Kingdom or in the country in which the vessel is registered and dated within 2 years of the application. Medical fitness certificates for applicants over 65 years of age should be dated within 1 year of the application. The appropriate fee should also accompany the application.

Examination
4. Examinations will normally be conducted in the Harbour Master’s Office. Experience of ship handling, as a Master or Mate, within the Langstone CHA Area of Jurisdiction, will be a principal factor in establishing a candidate’s suitability to hold the Pilotage Exemption Certificate. Experience in the pilotage area in this case would be considered as completing a minimum of 6 trips (12 acts) with conduct of the vessel while accompanied by a pilot or existing PEC holder. At least 3 of the qualifying trips (6 acts) should be undertaken in darkness. Candidates must also satisfy the Langstone Harbour Master as to the following:
(a) A candidate must be the Master or First Mate of his ship to qualify for certification.
(b) Candidates must have a satisfactory knowledge of the International Regulations for preventing collisions at sea, Local Regulations, Harbour Byelaws, Local Notices to Mariners and Marine Emergency Procedures in force with respect to that part of the Area of Jurisdiction for which the applicant desires an exemption certificate.
(c) Candidates must possess satisfactory local knowledge of the area including lights, leading marks and buoyage.
(d) Candidates must have a satisfactory working knowledge of the English Language.
(e) Candidates must be fully conversant with the Dangerous Goods in Harbour Areas Regulations 2016 (as applicable to the candidate’s ship as they apply in the Pilotage District).

5. Successful candidates will be granted a Pilotage Exemption Certificate immediately. A failed candidate will not be re-examined until at least a month after the date of failure; after second or subsequent failures, candidates will not be re-examined until at least three months have elapsed from the date of the last examination.

Certificates
6. Certificates will include the name and description of each ship that the Certificate holder is authorised to pilot in the Area of Jurisdiction and a description of the area for which the certificate has been issued. Certificate holders shall not allow any other person to have possession or to make improper use of the Certificate.

7. Certificates are valid for one year from the date of issue. For renewal see paragraphs 13-16 below.

Duties of a Certificate Holder
8. When a ship is in the charge of a Master or Mate holding a Pilotage Exemption Certificate and is underway within the Area of Jurisdiction, the Pilotage Flag is to be displayed.

9. A Pilotage Exemption Certificate Holder who observes any alteration to the shoals or to the channels, or that any seamarks are out of place or do not conform or show their proper distinctive character, shall immediately report the circumstances verbally to the Harbour Manager, followed by a report in writing as soon as practicable.

10. When a ship in the charge of a Master or Mate holding a Pilotage Exemption Certificate has touched the ground or has been in collision or in a close quarter situation with any other ship or any fixed or floating object in the water, he shall immediately report the occurrence verbally to the Harbour Manager or Harbour Master followed by a report in writing on the form prescribed, as soon as practicable.

11. Pilotage Exemption Certificate holders are required to attend any investigation or enquiry held by the Langstone CHA, when they are requested to appear.

Investigation of Incidents
12. Any serious incident or marine casualty involving the holder of a Pilotage Exemption Certificate will be investigated by Langstone CHA. The CHA may, in cases involving misconduct or lack of professional expertise on the part of the Certificate holder, suspend or cancel his Pilotage Exemption Certificate.

Renewal of Certificates
13. Application for the renewal of Pilotage Exemption Certificates must be made at least one month before expiry date. Application must be made on the prescribed form obtainable from the Harbour Manager’s Office, and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.

14. Renewal will normally be granted only if the following conditions are met:
(a) The Certificate holder has completed at least 6 Acts of Pilotage with conduct of the vessel in the Area of Jurisdiction during the preceding 12 months. If not, re-examination may be necessary.
(b) A Certificate holder must satisfy the CHA of his continuing knowledge of pilotage requirements within the Area of jurisdiction.
(c) Candidates must confirm that they are medically fit and produce satisfactory written medical and eyesight examination results which have been made within the preceding two years for candidates under 65 years of age or within the preceding one year for candidates over 65 years of age.

15. PEC holders wishing to extend their exemption to parts of the pilotage area for which they are not exempt will be required to complete 3 trips (6 acts) in the area for which exemption is required, with conduct of the vessel while accompanied by a pilot or existing PEC holder.

E. PILOTAGE CHARGES

Standard Charges
1. The charges for pilotage, which will be amended from time to time, are made by Langstone CHA for the services of a pilot in accordance with Section 10 of the Pilotage Act of 1987. Except where otherwise specified the charges are for a single one-way Act of Pilotage to or from a berth, mooring or anchorage in Langstone Harbour.

2. Additional charges related to the embarkation and disembarkation of pilots are payable in accordance with the Southampton CHA arrangements for Pilotage Surcharges in respect of late notification, late arrival/departure and detention and will be invoiced to the ship’s master, owner or agent together with pilotage charges.

3. If the sailing of an outward bound vessel is cancelled, for whatever reason and a pilot has been dispatched to, or has made an abortive attendance on board in accordance with the Owner’s, Master’s or Agent’s instructions, a Cancellation Charge of £200.00 will be levied. If a pilot has been ordered and properly dispatched to an inward bound vessel, or vessel at anchor, whose movements are subsequently cancelled a cancellation charge of £400 will be levied.

Charges for Acts of Self Pilotage
4. The holder of a Pilotage Exemption Certificate issued by the Langstone CHA is to submit a monthly return not later than the 15th day of the month following to Langstone CHA of the number of times the vessel or vessels navigated by him has entered in or departed from Langstone CHA’s area of jurisdiction when an authorised pilot has not been employed.

5. A charge will be levied per trip in respect of any ship to which this direction applies and which navigates within Langstone CHA’s area of jurisdiction under the pilotage of a Master or First Mate who is the holder of a Pilotage Exemption Certificate.

6. Invoices for charges for Acts of Self Pilotage will be rendered monthly and should be paid within 30 days of receipt. If charges incurred are not paid within that 30 day period an additional charge of 5% compounded until payment will be payable for each period of 30 days, or part period, thereafter.

Fees for Pilotage Exemption Certificates can be seen here