Pilot on Board – a photographic exhibition at WA Maritime Museum

A new photographic exhibition opened at Fremantle’s Maritime Museum yesterday.

Pilot on Board opening. L to R. Savio Fernandes, Fremantle Ports Harbour Master, Jodie Ransom, Fremantle Ports CEO, Hannah Fitzhardinge, Mayor of Fremantle, and Julian Thomas, managing director of Fremantle Pilots

The Pilot on Board exhibition highlights the critical role marine pilots have played at the Port of Fremantle since the first pilot service began in 1829. For almost two centuries marine pilots have operated out of Fremantle and from Rottnest Island.

Fremantle Port, Museum and City representatives at launch.

The photos in the exhibition range from old black and white to modern colourful ones, taking the viewer through the ages of pilot boats, ships, their captains, the Covid years and right up to today.

Marine piloting is one of the world’s oldest continuing professions, yet relatively little is understood about what pilots do.

Video of pilot ship coming alongside ship.

In Fremantle, Pilot boats transport the pilot out beyond the South and North Mole heads to Gage Roads where they meet the ship coming into port. The pilot then boards the incoming ship via a ladder, meets the ship’s captain, then takes over the vessel’s navigation through the port waters, and finally manoeuvres the ship into its allocated berth in port, while also controlling the tugs and other aspects of this complex operation.

Container ships and cruise ships are getting larger — the largest container ships visiting Fremantle have a capacity of 10,000 standard containers and with a length of 345m, which makes turning in the inner harbour a very tricky manoeuvre. A ship of this size only has 25 metres clearance between the bow and the harbour wall. New electronic aids known as PPU’s – Portable Pilot Units – help assist the pilot with situational awareness. Pilots nowadays also benefit from training with ship simulators.

Julian Thomas explaining the latest technology

Captain Back, Fremantle’s first official pilot in 1844, would be amazed to see the size of modern ships and the technology used today to pilot ships into the harbour. But much of what pilots do is unchanged over the years – the pilot boat still heads out to sea in all weathers, round the clock, to meet incoming ships. The pilot still has to climb up a vertical pilot ladder on the ship’s hull holding onto two ropes. Look out for ships flying a red and white flag – that means the pilot is onboard and in charge! The same process takes place in reverse when ships leave the harbour.

The Pilot on Board exhibition also marks the 30th anniversary of Fremantle Pilots as the pilotage provider in the Port of Fremantle.

Don’t miss this great exhibition. It’s a must see for all lovers of ports, ships and maritime history. And it’s free with your Museum entry ticket.

Exhibition runs from 10 August – 27 October 2024.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is our Shipping Correspondent and also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

You might also like to hear our podcast with Captain Greg Tonnison on a day in the life of a Fremantle pilot. A great listen.

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