Three new pilots welcomed on board at the Port of London Authority

This June, three trainee pilots joined the PLA to start an intensive, six-month course, with more set to follow in their footsteps later this year.

River trade is kept flowing, through the PLA’s recruitment of experienced master mariners, vying to become specialist Thames navigational pilots.

The new starters are Rhys Hetherington (from Solihull, West Midlands, England), Mihovil Pedisic (from Zadar, Croatia) and William Walsh (from Youghal, County Cork, Republic of Ireland).

They join the PLA team of over 100 pilots, who guide vessels safely up and down the estuary. Their role involves boarding and disembarking vessels by ladder, in all weathers, at all times of day and night.

In 2022, the pilotage team maintained a 98.5 per cent service level.

Dave Newbury, the PLA’s marine pilotage manager said: “The addition of more new blood into our pilotage team helps meet growing demand and will also ensure we can continue to offer a reliable service to our customers.

“Our pilots must know every inch of the estuary like the back of their hand, to be able to make sure that goods can continue to arrive safely, day in, day out, whatever the weather.”

The Port of London remains the UK’s largest port by volume.