Status of Pilots: Poland 2005
The Polish pilotage service is governed by: The Polish Maritime Code (2001), Maritime Safety Act (2000), Maritime Pilots’ Decree and Pilotage Tariffs Decree (2004) also The Orders of the Director of Maritime Board (2002, 2004). Pilots' economical activity amenable to The Commercial Activity Act (1988). Since 1989 pilots established their own enterprises, which now run Pilot Stations in Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin-Swinoujscie, Kolobrzeg and Darlowo. The members of each Pilot Station elect their Chief Pilot, whose competence are defined in Pilot Station Regulations.
All pilots in Poland work on self-employed conditions.
Number of Pilots (September 2004)
84 Harbour Pilots, 4 Deep-Sea Pilots (Baltic Sea). Also 2 harbour pilots are holder of deep-sea pilot licences. 79 pilots are members of Polish Maritime Pilots’ Association
Minimum Qualifications
To obtain pilot license and pilotage qualifications certificate for vessels under 130 meters
is needed :
- Master Mariner licence
- 1 year practice as Master on the vessels over 3000 GT
- 6 months training in the port
- certificate of health for marine officers
- examination
- manoeuvre simulator course
To obtain pilot qualifications certificate for vessels 131-170 m, 171-200 m, over 200 m:
-
for each ,,step" 1 year practice and positive opinion of Chief Pilot.
-
For vessels over 200 m additionally practical training course for masters of large ships and of ships with unusual manoeuvring characteristics.
For Deep-Sea pilot licence is needed :
- Master Mariner licence
- 3 years practice as a Master on the vessels over 3000 GT
- ship handling practical training course for masters of large ships and of ships with
unusual manoeuvring characteristics.
- ARPA course
- certificate of health for marine officers
- examination
Madical examinations
Health certificate must be confirmed at least every 2 years, but pilots older than 50 years of age every year. Harbour pilots and Deep-Sea pilots are licensed by the Ministry of Infrastructure
Compulsory Pilotage / PEC's
Pilotage is compulsory for all ships carrying dangerous cargo, or over 40 m in Szczecin, over 50 m in Gdansk and 60 m in Gdynia.
Conditions for obtaining Pilot Exemption Certificates are : 10 trips with pilot to and from the port within the last 12 months, ability to communicate in English, knowledge of fairways, port, rules, regulations, procedures etc., and a successful exam by commission. PEC's are only given for a named master of a named vessel.
Retirement
Earliest age to retire for a healthy pilot = 60 years.
Maximum age to be an active pilot = 65 years (regulated by Polish Maritime Code)
Tariffs / Income
Tariffs are calculated and published by pilots' enterprises according to general rules of The Commercial Activity Act (1988) and The Price Act (1982), but regulations introduced by new Maritime Code authorise Ministry of Infrastructure to regulate maximum pilotage dues (not published yet). All pilot dues are collected by the pilot stations.
There is no guaranteed income for pilots. Pilots' enterprises act as a limited liability company and they must cover the costs of their administration, boats and crew, fuel etc., also it must save funds for new boats.
pilot station income - (running cost of pilot station + reserve funds)
Pilots income = ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
number of pilots
Working Hours
Gdynia, Szczecin-Swinoujscie: 2 weeks ,,on duty" then 2 weeks ,,free". During 2 weeks ,,on duty" pilot is called on average 6 times to the pilot station.
Gdansk : 8 days (24 hours) duty per month.
26 days vacation per year. Average annual working hours = 2150. There are no guaranteed rest-time regulations.
Pilot Stations
All pilot stations and boats are owned, managed and maintained by pilots. All expenses are covered from pilots dues.
Addresses and contacts :
Polskie Stowarzyszenie Pilotów Morskich (Polish Maritime Pilots Association)
ul. Hryniewickiego 10, bud. 38
81-340 Gdynia, Poland
phone: + 48 58 661 7047
fax: + 48 58 620 3116
e-mail: pspm@pspm.pl
President PSPM, EMPA Delegate:
Ryszard Wrobel
Orle, ul. Zamostna 89
84-252 Zamostne, Poland
mobile: + 48 602 766 764
e-mail: prezes@pspm.pl
EMPA Delegate:
Kazimierz Jawor
ul. Wojska Polskiego 217/2
71-340 Szczecin, Poland
mobile: + 48 603 385 104
e-mail: interpilot1@tlen.pl
EMPA Delegate:
Jerzy Ananiew
ul. Doroszewskiego 19
80-319 Gdansk, Poland
mobile: + 48 604 790 074
e-mail: jerzyananiew@poczta.onet.pl |