Status of Pilots: Germany 2005

The German pilotage service is undertaken by self-employed pilots. The pilots of the several districts are organized in associations called brotherhoods. There are 7 districts in Germany. The members of each brotherhood elect their own chairman (Ältermann). The chairmen of all brotherhoods form the Federal Chamber of Pilots (Bundeslotsenkammer) and elect the President of the Chamber. The district pilots are working under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport. The ports of Hamburg and Bremerhaven have their own harbour pilotage service; all other German sea ports are served by the district pilots.
Since 1954 pilots work under the regulations of the Pilotage Act (amendments 1984, 1986, 1994 and 1997).
In supplementation of the Pilotage Act special District Pilotage Decrees have been issued. They regulate in detail the borders, management and arrangements of the seven pilotage districts. Other decrees regulate such as pilotage tariffs, standards of health, training of pilots etc.. 
District Pilots and Deep-Sea Pilots are licensed by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, Habour Pilots are licensed by their Port Authority. Any holder of a pilot's licence is automatically a full member of the brotherhood of his district with all rights and obligations.

Number of Pilots (December 2003)
735 District Pilots
67 Hamburg Harbour Pilots
Some 40 district pilots of Weser / Elbe - Range and about 25 district pilots of Kiel and Rostock - Range are also holder of a deep-sea pilot licence.

EMPA-Membership
Since 1963. Germany is founder-member of  EMPA.
Minimum Qualifications

Highest STCW-licence  + a 2 years experience as an nautical officer or master of a vessel after receiving this licence. Certificate of good health for pilots and the successful Certificate of German Pilot Test ( psychological test ).
8 month theoretical and practical training as pilot´s apprentice in the district + successful examination.

Retirement
Maximum age to be an active pilot is 65 years.

Tariffs / Income
Tariffs are given by the Ministry of Transport, after a hearing of the Ministries of Transport of the 5 German coastal states, and pilots.
The ,,normal" income is about the same as the ,,tariff-wage for German foreign going ship masters". But there is no guaranteed income. The German pilots take the full ,,economical risk" in other words ,,No Ships = No Income".

Working Hours
On average the German district pilots are ,,on duty" on at least 270 days per year. There are some differences between vacation-arrangements in the local pilots' associations. Most brotherhoods operate the following system:
If a pilot is not sick or on leave he is ,,on duty". The duty is undertaken in a turn-system which is regulated by the intensity of shipping traffic. When a pilot returns home from a pilotage service he is placed at the end of a list of all pilots ,,on duty", after all his colleagues ahead of him have been called for a pilotage service, it will be his turn again. The rest between two jobs is depending on the density of the traffic very irregular. The working-time-base (time in the district) for a ,,normal" pilot's income is about 49 hours per week.

Pilot Stations
Pilot stations and pilot vessels are owned or chartered by the German government, except the Wismar/Rostock/Stralsund range, where pilot vessels are owned and run by a private company. The management and the maintenance of the service is in the pilots' hands (exclusive Wismar/Rostock/Stralsund). A two year budget is made up for each district, the expenses are covered from the pilotage dues, which are received by the government from the international shipping.

Brotherhoods / Districts
Lotsenbrüderschaft Elbe
River Elbe between Hamburg and seaward position of the pilot vessel (near Lightvessel German Bight ). Elderman: Captain Wolfgang Leue, EMPA delegate
Lotsenbrüderschaft Emden
River Ems between Papenburg and buoy TW/DB.
Elderman: Captain Gerd Köhler
 Lotsenbrüderschaft NOK I
Kiel-Canal roads at Brunsbüttel and Kiel-Canal pilotstation at Rüsterbergen (near the canal port of Rendsburg). Elderman: Captain Dieter Blöchl, app. EMPA vice-president.
 Lotsenbrüderschaft NOK II / Kiel / Lübeck / Flensburg
Kiel-Canal roads at Holtenau and Kiel-Canal pilotstation at Rüsterbergen, Kiel Fjord, Port of Kiel, Flensburg Fjord, Port of Flensburg, River Trave, Port of Lübeck. Also the coastal waters and ports between Flensburg Fjord and River Trave.
Elderman: Captain Michael Schmenner, EMPA delegate.
Lotsenbrüderschaft Weser I
River Weser between the ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven.
Elderman Captain Holger Tessenow
Lotsenbrüderschaft Weser II / Jade
River Weser from sea to the Port of Bremerhaven, River Jade / Port of Wilhelmshaven.
Eldermann: Captain Stephan Blasshöfer
 Lotsenbrüderschaft Wismar / Rostock / Stralsund
Ports of Wismar, Rostock, Stralsund, Mukran, Sassnitz, Wolgast, also the coastal waters and smaller ports between River Trave and the Polish border.
Elderman: Captain Dr. Christian Subklev
Hafenlotsenbrüderschaft Hamburg
Port of Hamburg
Eldermann: Captain Thomas Lindner

PEC's
Pilotage is compulsory for vessels bigger than LOA = 90 m or BOA = 13 m, (oil- and chemical tankers from LOA = 60 m or BOA = 9 m on). A master of a certain ship can sail without pilot after 12 voyages with pilot on board within one year, when his vessel is smaller than LOA = 120 m or BOA = 19 m. A PEC is granted to a master of a certain ship bigger than 120 x 19m after 24 voyages with pilot's advice and a theoretical examination hold in German language where the master must give proof of his knowledge of the language and the pilotage district.