Maritime Pilots Brave Storms Guiding Cargo Ships in North Sea

Navigating the treacherous waters of the North Sea and the German port of Emden requires a special breed of maritime professional: the pilot. These individuals are responsible for guiding massive cargo ships through challenging conditions, often battling severe weather, strong currents, and narrow shipping lanes. Their job is inherently dangerous, as highlighted by the experiences of pilots Dominik Thieben, Gerhard Janssen, and Jörg Steemann.

Battling the Elements: A Day in the Life of a Pilot

The day begins with an urgent mission: Dominik Thieben and Gerhard Janssen must board the pilot tender to guide "The Silver Soul," a cargo ship carrying 700 new vehicles, from Emden into the North Sea. The weather is already extreme, with winds reaching storm force eight. Gerhard, a pilot for over 20 years following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps, notes that while conditions could be worse, they are "borderline."

Boarding the ship itself is a perilous act. Pilots climb four meters up the ship's hull without a safety line, a testament to their skill and the inherent risks of the job. Once aboard, their expertise is crucial. Gerhard is responsible for the port of Emden, while Dominik handles the Ems River up to Borkum Island.

The Challenges of Departure

"The Silver Soul" is scheduled to dock in Southampton in two days but faces delays due to the difficulty of securing tugboats in the high winds. The process of connecting tug lines is manual and time-consuming, involving clearing lines, running thin ropes to pull thicker ones, and finally securing the heavy tug lines.

Eighteen hours later, the winds have escalated to severe gale force. Harbor pilot Jörg Steemann is tasked with guiding a freighter to its berth. He describes the constant battle with extreme weather, noting that while there are sunny days, the challenging conditions are a regular part of the job. Maneuvering a 150-meter freighter through a lock and up to a pier against such winds requires immense precision.

Back on "The Silver Soul," the tugs are still not secured, and lines repeatedly fall into the water. The wind, estimated at 80 kilometers per hour, makes every task harder. Gerhard emphasizes the critical importance of positioning the ship correctly to avoid damage to the pier or being broadsided by the current or wind. His experience as a former captain in the Caribbean now serves him as an advisor, with shipping companies paying for his specialized knowledge.

Navigating the Ems and Unexpected Obstacles

As "The Silver Soul" slowly moves, bobbing like a cork, it approaches the Ems current. The pilots must carefully navigate to avoid being caught in the current and ending up along the dike, while also ensuring enough space to turn away from the pier. Dominik, who knows all the Ems routes by heart, constantly adjusts the course, aware that even a slight deviation could cause the ship to run aground. Vehicle carriers, he notes, react differently in strong winds, often wanting to nose into the wind, requiring constant counter-steering.

A critical moment arises when another ship, "Were," appears on the wrong side of the shipping channel, heading directly towards "The Silver Soul." Dominik attempts to radio the vessel without success and then contacts maritime traffic control. The stopping distance for a ship with a fixed propeller is long, and changing course quickly is not feasible. Fortunately, "Were" eventually changes course, averting a collision.

The Perilous Pilot Transfer

As "The Silver Soul" approaches the open sea near Borkum, the pilots face another major challenge: transferring to the pilot tender. The storm has intensified, with waves reaching four to five meters, and helicopter transfers have been suspended. The only option is a twin-hulled tender, which is stable in waves up to five meters, but anything higher would make the transfer too dangerous, forcing the pilots to remain on board until Southampton.

Captain Friedhelm Schutta, who operates the pilot tender, is responsible for picking up pilots in these conditions. He can sail in waves up to four and a half meters and makes the final decision to abort a maneuver if it's too risky. He describes the precise coordination required to approach a ship, match its speed, and gently pull alongside its hull, all while battling the waves.

Gerhard and Dominik prepare for their transfer. A life jacket with a tracking device is sewn into their jackets, sending a signal if they fall into the four-degree Celsius water. The transfer involves climbing down a wooden ladder hanging from the ship's side, in the dark, while both vessels are moving and subject to waves and wind. Gerhard likens it to "crossing from one truck cab to the next while it's passing on the highway." This is considered the most dangerous part of their job.

Dominik recounts his "craziest experience" as a pilot: climbing aboard a submarine in similar weather. Submarines, being round, offer no flat surface to climb. Instead, a rope is thrown from behind the conning tower, and the pilot must jump from a small boat, hoping to land without slipping, then be pulled in "like a fish" by three crew members.

Despite the extreme conditions, Gerhard and Dominik successfully transfer to the tender. However, the inherent dangers of the job are underscored by a tragic incident mentioned: seven hours later, another pilot falls into the water at the same location. While he is rescued, he suffers from hypothermia. The pilots also recall a recent accident where an English colleague died after falling from a pilot ladder. They acknowledge that such incidents can happen to anyone, due to old equipment, improper securing, or simply losing grip.

Dominik and Gerhard arrive safely on Borkum, their mission accomplished. Many other ships, however, choose to anchor off the coast, waiting for the storm to pass, a testament to the extreme conditions that these maritime pilots routinely face.