Harbor pilot monopoly

[gatour]

Keep in mind while cruise ships are normally regular visitors to particular ports, freight ships are a mixture of regular visitors and infrequent visitors. The harbor pilots are responsible for both. For the cruise ships, i am sure the effort are less but I am sure their knowledge is useful to the freighters.

 

Also doing the math, using $500,000/year pay that breaks down to about $11,000/week. 500,000/46 weeks. Giving them 6 weeks of vacation per year. $11,000 is a far cry from $30,000

 

Here in Jacksonville i think the pay is between 200,000-300,000 where they have to run 10-20 miles of river before reaching the jetties and they have to deal with and man the freighters.

 

The charges are pretty standard across the world so I am not sure why cruisers are getting their panties in a wad about this issue.

 

This is the third or fourth thread I have read about this issue.

[jimbo5544]

I am very happy to have a pilot onboard.

The Pilots know these waters inside and out. No Captain/Master can be 100% certain of the waters in any new port.

 

ex- from the Columbia River Pilots website:

http://www.colrip.com/pages/AboutUs.aspx

 

The Columbia River navigation channel is maintained to an operating depth of 40 feet and 600 feet in width. The distance between the Astoria pilot station and the mouth of the Willamette at Kelley Point is 75 nautical miles. Between Astoria and the sea wall in downtown Portland there are over 90 course changes. The longest straight stretch of river is only about 2 miles in length. This route is one of the most lengthy and demanding pilotage grounds in the world.

 

I don't argue the need , just question the cost/monopoly.

[jimbo5544]

Keep in mind while cruise ships are normally regular visitors to particular ports, freight ships are a mixture of regular visitors and infrequent visitors. The harbor pilots are responsible for both. For the cruise ships, i am sure the effort are less but I am sure their knowledge is useful to the freighters.

 

Also doing the math, using $500,000/year pay that breaks down to about $11,000/week. 500,000/46 weeks. Giving them 6 weeks of vacation per year. $11,000 is a far cry from $30,000

 

Here in Jacksonville i think the pay is between 200,000-300,000 where they have to run 10-20 miles of river before reaching the jetties and they have to deal with and man the freighters.

 

The charges are pretty standard across the world so I am not sure why cruisers are getting their panties in a wad about this issue.

 

This is the third or fourth thread I have read about this issue.

 

Your correct it is not the first post (or mine). Thought it was worthwhile to bring up, especially in reference of the negotiations going on. Glad you are keeping track, let me know if I exceed the quota on posting.....:rolleyes:

[BIG_Steve]

WOW I knew it was a good salary but not that good.

 

My uninformed guess would be that qualified harbor pilots must not be real easy to find. How many sea captains are there? Of those, how many leave the sea and continue on as a harbor pilot?

 

A pilot here compared his salary and responsibilities to that of a harbor pilot. And I agree, the airline pilot has a much tougher job. But I think it's easier (??) to find a qualified aviator, since the military trains so many.

[klfrodo]

Just asking the question here.

 

So who was at fault and/or in command in regards to the collision in Cozumel a couple of weeks ago due to the wind?

Was it the Captain of the ship or the harbor pilot or both?

[jimbo5544]

My uninformed guess would be that qualified harbor pilots must not be real easy to find. How many sea captains are there? Of those, how many leave the sea and continue on as a harbor pilot?

 

A pilot here compared his salary and responsibilities to that of a harbor pilot. And I agree, the airline pilot has a much tougher job. But I think it's easier (??) to find a qualified aviator, since the military trains so many.

 

Big Steve, you hit the nail on the head, I believe. Think the article was saying that they wanted to "open" it up so that in the long run, it would become cheaper because more people could become qualified,etc. etc.

 

By the way, enjoy your cruise on the Imagination. We were on her in April and had a great time!

[jimbo5544]

Just asking the question here.

 

So who was at fault and/or in command in regards to the collision in Cozumel a couple of weeks ago due to the wind?

Was it the Captain of the ship or the harbor pilot or both?

Not sure who takes the blame. I am sure there was some finger pointing going on. Pretty sure the Harbor pilot was in command, but the captain has full responsibility of the ship. Wonder if he could have said we'll wait the storm (high winds) out and leave later, of if that is controlled by the port.

[fireofficer5]

Sounds like some here want low bid to move a $400,000,000. ship.

Why worry what the other guy makes?

There is a Maratime Officers school in Dania Florida.

The campus is about is very large. There is a high demand for all maritime officers, harbor pilots are just one of them.

[G'ma]

I know this subject has been discussed before, but he is an article from Travel Weekly discussing the extremely high salaries and reported monopoly that harbor pilots have.

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/article3_ektid205116.aspx

 

It's called "free enterprise"......it's the way business is done.

 

It's like the fees a physician charges..... Only the physician can medically treat you...so, he will charge what he wishes and you will pay.

 

Or contractors, or used car salesmen, or house cleaners.

 

Frankly, I see nothing wrong with it.

 

If these folks were paid with taxpayer funds or public money, that would be a different story. However, that's not the case.

 

I don't care what is charged or what is paid as long as they get the ship I'm on in and out of the harbor safely....

[Earthworm Jim]

It's called "free enterprise"......it's the way business is done.

 

Not according to the article:

 

"The pool of eligible pilot licenses has historically been kept low and not subjected to free market conditions' date='" as licenses are issued by the state Board of Pilot Commissioners, half of whom are harbor pilots, the study said.[/i']

 

That's not free enterprise because they are limiting the amount of competition which could, at least in theory, result in a decrease of rates.

 

It's like the fees a physician charges..... Only the physician can medically treat you...so' date=' he will charge what he wishes and you will pay.

 

Or contractors, or used car salesmen, or house cleaners.[/quote']

 

But, if there is a shortage of physicians or contractors or car salesmen or house cleaners, resulting in very high pay rates, others are tempted to get into that profession, which increases they competition and lowers the prices.

 

(Though I admit physicians are a special case. Cost never even comes up when you are discussing treatment options with your doctor. That's all between them and your health insurance company.)

[gtalum]

This article was a bti one-sided. For one thing, the amounts they quote aren't actually pilto salaries, but fees paid to the pilot association. out of those fees come all of the overhead as well as the pilots' salaries. They are well-compensated, but that's because they're only hiring the most experienced of all captains to be pilots. Those captains won't leave lucrative private employment if they're not paid well to be harbor pilots.