Status of Pilots: Italy 2005

LEGISLATION
In 1942 the Code of Navigation was passed. This together with the subsequent regulations of 1952 constitutes the actual juridical instrument that presides over maritime and aerial navigation. Maritime Pilotage is ruled by articles 86-96 of the Code, by articles 98-137 of its Regulations, and recently by the law 84/1996.
Besides the General Regulations to the Code of Navigation, there are also local Pilotage Bylaws for each port and are the outcome of a close agreement among the pilots, harbour master, port users and Port Authorities approved by the Ministry of Transport.

Pilotage is considered a public service provided by the State and carried out by the pilots.

At the moment, pilotage is compulsory in all Italian ports for all ships over 500 GT.

A Presidential Decree determines the areas of compulsory pilotage and also appoints the pilot station “Corporazione” to undertake the pilotage services at each port. This means that the appointed Corporazione has an exclusive right at the specific port.

The authority of the Ministry of Transport and Navigation for the daily supervision of the pilotage services is delegated to the local competent authority which usually is the local Harbour Master (“Capitaneria di Porto”).

ORGANIZATION
In Italy 38 pilot stations are appointed with a total staff of  450 people of which 224 are active licensed pilots.

The pilotage service is performed by licensed pilots that shall be members of the nominated pilot station “Corporazione” which works as a collective with pilot share ownership. The management of the “Corporazione” is absolutely private. The law allows it to operate in a regime of a compulsory nature with the peculiar qualities of a private enterprise. The “Corporazione” is directed and represented by the chief pilot nominated by the Harbour Master.

In the harbours with little traffic where pilotage could still be necessary, the Harbour Master may issue authorization to other persons to perform the service (hobbling pilots).

As the task of the pilot is to advise the Captain on the course to be followed and to assist him during the subsequent manoeuvres, he is liable for damages only if it is proved that they are the direct consequence of wrong or incorrect information. Any other damage occurred during the actual handling of the vessel while berthing or unberthing, rests with the Captain. The pilot’s liability, however, is limited to the amount of the bond.

The pilot cannot refuse to undertake his duty as pilot but as a part thereof he may refuse to board the vessel or take the vessel into the harbour if this entail danger to the parties involved. Such danger may be due to environmental conditions, conditions of the vessel etc..

PILOTAGE TARIFFS
Pilotage dues are based on GT at all Italian port districts. The general regulation of tariffs is fixed for a two year period by the Ministry of Transport based on a formal inquest by the national Pilots Federation, the port users (ship-owners and agents), Port Authorities, and Harbour Master Command. The general regulation (coefficient in a mathematics formula) are translated into the specific tariffs at each port and approved/fixed by the competent public authority.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A pilot-applicant must have, first of all, the physical fitness which is ascertained by a medical panel, the Master’s Certificate, age between 28 and 35 years and at least six years seagoing experience of which a minimum of three as watch officer aboard ships over 1.500 GRT. Each applicant is given a score in accordance with the following qualifications:

-          The period in command of ships above 10.000 GRT

-          The period in command of ships above 500 GRT

-          The period as a pilot in different Pilots’ Corporations

-          The period at sea as Chief Mate aboard ships above 500 GRT

-          The period at sea aboard ships above 500 GRT

The candidates then sit for an oral exam and those which qualify, apprentice pilots, assist senior pilots during the acts of pilotage. After 12 months the apprentice pilots must pass a practical exam. The new pilot, once he has paid his bond and his share of joint ownership of the pilot boats, will obtain his licence.

New rules introduced in 1998 make it possible for pilots to move from one pilot station to another when a vacancy matches manpower surplus to requirements in another.

In principle the pilot will be able to pilot all sizes of vessels immediately after obtaining his licence but in practice in most ports he will pilot vessels of gradually increasing size. Refresher courses are only applied to a minor extent in Italy.

MEDICAL CHECKS AND RETIREMENT
Once he has acquired the pilots licence, he is subjected to medical checks - performed by a medical panel composed of 3 doctors - after any absence from work as a consequence of any important disease. He can choose to continue as a pilot until the latest age retirement of 65 years, only if he was appointed as pilot before the year 1977. Otherwise he shall retire at the age of 60 years.

WORKING HOURS
Each station has its own schedule. The annual average number of jobs is about 900 per pilot including shore based pilotage.

PECS
No exemption certificates have been issued in Italy.

VTS AND SHORE BASED PILOTAGE
There is no legislation regarding VTS-system. In a few ports VTS-type systems exist. SBP is granted to the masters of ferries only for departure up to a max of 25.000 GT and authorized by the Harbour Master of some ports after 10 calls of the ship (same or similar) in the same area of the harbour.

The new High Speed Ferries (HSC) up to 5.000 GT have also obtained incoming SBP on arrival in the ports of Olbia, La Spezia, Savona e Civitavecchia.

EMPA MEMBERSHIP
Italy was one of the EMPA’s promoting partner.

FIPP
All Italian pilots grouped in 41“Guilds” and other authorized pilots in 17 ports are members of Federazione Italiana dei Piloti dei Porti.

FIPP has been member of EMPA since 1963 and celebrated in the 1997 the 50th anniversary of its foundation.