PNG PORTS CORPORATION LIMITED::Papua New Guinea

Port Information

Pilotage

Shipping Schedule

Contact Details:

Newman Kapa
Manager Pilot Services
PNG Ports Corporation Limited
Head Office: Stanley Esplanade,
Port Moresby
PO Box 671,
Port Moresby.
NCD.
Papua New Guinea
Phone: +675 308 4311 or 321 1795
Fax: +675 3211546

For General Enquiries e-mail:

enquiries@pngports.com.pg

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PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) Marine Piloting Service (Pilotage)

PNGPCL Pilotage section is vested with the responsibility of providing Marine Piloting services to the maritime industry in Papua New Guinea.

Pilotage is an essential service provided to ships maneuvering within port limits and coastal waters declared as Pilotage areas. PNGPCL, albeit its predecessor(s), has been involved in providing this service safely and efficiently for over 50-years as part of the overall services it provides at seaports and declared Pilotage areas.

Marine piloting is defined as competently and safely piloting vessels within the limits of seaports, Declared Pilotage Areas (coastal), and all conceivable Pilotage situations in accordance with best practice standards, legislative requirements and established operating procedures. Marine Piloting promotes maritime safety and avoidance of damage to marine environment and property.

Piloting Service is provided by PNGPCL in all 16 operational ports. The 6 major ports of Port Moresby, Lae, Madang,
Alotau, Rabaul and Kimbe are mandated as Compulsory Pilotage Ports. Piloting services at all other ports are available and provided upon request through shipping agents. Port Moresby and Lae have a 24/7 Pilotage operation.

Pilotage Regulation

Marine Piloting Service is a mandatory function delegated to maritime authorities by an act of parliament. This function is regulated by The Merchant Shipping (Pilotage) Regulation 2006 (No 12 of 2006), which is currently in force.

PNGPCL Maritime Compliance division is vested with the functional responsibility of enforcing the Pilotage Rules & Regulations at the waterfront.

Pilotage Authority

The National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) is the mandated Pilotage authority under the Merchant Shipping Act (MS Act). In accordance with Section 196 of the MS Act, NMSA is empowered to declare a port or sea passage to be subject to Pilotage and such takes effect from the date a Gazettal Notice is published in relation thereto. Furthermore, pursuant to Section 197 of the said Act, NMSA has mandated authority to appoint a person or entity to be a Pilotage authority in respect of a declared Pilotage area.

NMSA has now delegated Pilotage Authority to PNG Ports Corporation Limited at the following declared ports in Papua New Guinea.


Aitape	Kimbe	Rabaul
Alotau	Lae	Samarai
Daru	Lorengau	Vanimo
Jomard Entrance*	Madang	Wewak
Kavieng	Oro Bay
Kieta	Port Moresby

* Jomard Entrance is not a port. It is a narrow sea passage 230Nm south east of Alotau, MBP that has been declared as a ‘Pilotage Area’.

Gazettal of this appointment was published in The Papua New Guinea National Gazette No.G198 on Thursday 8th October 2009 (refer to the table above)

This mandates PNGPCL to develop and strengthen regulatory and operational control within harbour limits and transit piloting in PNG waters.

Routine Pilotage Operation

The master or an agent of a vessel requiring a pilot must give notice to port control the vessel’s Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the Pilot Boarding Ground (PBG) not less than 72 hours in advance of that time; re-confirm the vessel’s ETA not less than 24 hours (or immediately upon departing the last port if voyage is less than 24 hours) prior to arrival; and confirm ETA 4 hours prior to arrival at the PBG.

Vessels requiring a pilot to shift within port limits or depart from a port are required to submit a pilot request 4 hours prior to the pilot boarding time.

Upon boarding, the master and pilot exchange information regarding navigational procedures, local conditions and the ship’s characteristics including the pilot’s proposed passage plan

Subject to the authority of the master of a ship, the duty of a pilot is to safely pilot the ship. The master of a ship is not relieved of his responsibility for the conduct and navigation of the ship by reason of the ship being under the charge of a pilot.

Pilot boats are used exclusively for transferring a pilot onto a vessel requiring pilot or disembarking from a vessel after rendering piloting service.

Staff Establishment

PNGPCL Pilotage section currently employs 66 personnel located throughout its operational sites including a back office (HQ) administration team.

Position	Pom	Lae	Mad	Rab	Kim	Alo	Jom	HQ	Total
Manager								1	1
Administration								8	8
Marine Pilots	4	5	3	3	1	1			17
Marine Engineers								2	2
Launch Crew	6	6	5	3	3	1	11	1	36
Ancillary							1	1	2
Total	10	11	8	6	4	2	12	13	66

Marine Pilots

PNGPCL currently employs 17 marine pilots out of which 11 are licensed pilots and 6 are trainees. They are located by varying number according to demand at the Compulsory Pilotage ports. The number will be increased through recruitment externally and development and promotion through the ranks internally to a number deemed adequate to deal with the anticipated demand brought about by the growth in the industry.

Prerequisite to enter into a marine pilot career is to have had extensive experience serving a better part of their career as commanding officers on coastal and foreign-going vessels after completing the required training at a recognized maritime college.

Marine pilot entry requirement has been raised recently from Master/Mate Class 3 to Master/Mate Class 2.

For more information on this contact the PNG Maritime College in Madang

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