Great Lakes Pilotage | Great Opportunties
Great Lakes Pilotage Endorsement Equals Great Opportunities
By Christopher J. Edyvean
Most mariners seeking a career as a deck officer do not realize that one doesn’t have to look upon the high seas to find opportunity. A highly efficient regional shipping industry is found bustling along the freshwater shores of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York.
In contrast to the monotonous routine of a long ocean voyage, Great Lakes shipping presents the licensed deck officer with a variety of challenges, such as frequent docking and undocking, loading and discharging, and piloting up and down the scenic lakes and river systems of the “Inland Seas”.
Requirements
Unlike ocean and coastwise waters, the Great Lakes are shielded from the engulfing arm of the STCW world. To work in any capacity on the Great Lakes, a mariner will only need a TWIC card, U.S. Passport and Merchant Mariner Credential for their applicable rating or license.
In addition to the minimum requirement to hold an officer credential as Inland/Great Lakes Mate Any Gross Tons, mates on U.S. flagged Great Lakes vessels of over 1600 gross tons are required to be endorsed as a First Class Pilot upon the waters which their vessel operates.
To obtain these pilotage endorsements, one must first compile a record of observed trips upon the desired waters. This can be done while serving as a cadet, able-seaman, training mate or simply while engaged in an observing capacity.
Trip Documentation
As with any merchant marine credential, the prospective Great Lakes pilot must submit an application to the USCG (Toledo REC) which is to include a record of observed trips. This is commonly referred to as “Trip Verification”.
General requirements for pilotage can be found in 46 CFR 10.701-10.713. Also, Volume 3, Chapter 11 of the Marine Safety Manual adds that proper documentation of trips must include the date, route, time of day, name of vessel and tonnage of vessel and must be properly certified by the Master or pilot.
The American Maritime Officers union prints a Trip Verification Book which is usually available upon request for potential mates/pilots showing interest in their union. For an example of a trip verification form.
Twelve observed round trips are needed on each lake or river system in order to meet the minimum requirements for approval to take an exam, with a minimum of 25% of the trips observed during the hours of darkness and one trip in the six months preceding the application date to establish recency. A round trip must be a complete upbound and downbound passage of the entire body of water. A partial trip will not be counted.
Most mariners obtain their round trips by serving in the capacity of Able-Seaman (Wheelsman). It is in this manner that a mariner will gain the most practical experience. In times of higher demand for pilotage endorsed mates, many companies have been known to employ ocean mates in an observing capacity. Companies also are allowed by a USCG waiver to have one mate serving on board that does not have pilotage, commonly referred to as an “open waters” mate. However, without pilotage there is no job security, no chance of promotion, and little respect from the senior mates and Captain.
The scope (combination of lakes and rivers) of the pilotage route one must build may depend on their company’s requirements or the trade routes of a specific vessel. For example, most companies do not require that one obtain pilotage for Lake Ontario or the Welland Canal since most U.S. flagged Great Lakes vessels do not trade in those waters.
Examinations
A separate exam is required to obtain pilotage for each individual lake or river system, with each exam having three components: Local Knowledge (90%), Light & Shoals (70%), Courses & Distances (90%).
Regarding the chart sketches, exams can be somewhat divided into two categories, lakes or rivers. Chart sketches are done on a 22.5” x 17.5” paper called a “chartlet”, which is a miniature version much like the corresponding nautical chart, showing only a basic outline of the waterway. The chart sketch consists of the Lights & Shoals and Course & Distance segments of the exam.
For the Lights & Shoals portion of a Lakes exam, a series of lights will be assigned. The examinee must place the lights (or buoys) in the proper location on the chartlet and label each with the proper characteristics. For Course & Distance, a list of routes between ports or waterways (generally in an upbound or downbound direction) will be provided and must be properly plotted and labeled on the chartlet.
River exams are much more detailed. The test will instruct to draw either a complete upbound or downbound passage through the entire river system. Each course and distance must be precisely labeled and drawn with high accuracy, with a complete steering narrative. Every aid to navigation must be shown with its characteristics. In addition, notations must be provided detailing prevailing weather characteristics, VTS call-in points, speed limits, Federal Project Depths, anchorage areas, lock dimensions, bridge clearances, tug and pilot information, etc.
The Local Knowledge portion of any exam is a 20 question multiple choice test which will encompass a wide range of topics. Reference material is not allowed for any section of these exams.
Annual Physical Requirements
As per federal regulations, any mariner holding a First Class Pilot endorsement must submit a physical to the USCG annually.
Canada Restrictions
Mariners who have certain types of criminal backgrounds may experience denial of entrance into Canada. Most shipping companies will shy away from potential employees which may present this problem.
Those with Canadian entry problems will have to go through a type of “criminal rehabilitation” which could take years to resolve.
Finding a Job
Almost all deck officers aboard Great Lakes vessels are unionized workers, represented by IOMPP, AMO, MEBA or SIU. Most collective bargaining agreements between maritime unions and companies have established hiring hall procedures for initial employment or at least require union affiliation before hiring.
For a complete A-Z guide on obtaining Great Lakes pilotage, check out “Writing the License: Hawsepiper’s Guide to Great Lakes Pilotage”, available at www.hawsepipe.net.
