San Francisco Bar Pilots Cooperating with State and Federal Investigators
San Francisco, CA: The San Francisco Bar Pilots Association, a group of highly skilled ship captains responsible for directing thousands of vessels through San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun and Monterey Bays as well as the rivers to Sacramento and Stockton, is working with state and federal investigators examining the incident involving the Cosco Busan.
Captain Peter McIsaac, President of the San Francisco Bar Pilots, was at the scene of the accident on November 7th involving the Cosco Busan about 20 minutes after it allided with the Delta tower of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Capt. McIsaac advised the U. S. Coast Guard that the allision had damaged the bridge tower fendering system and that there was fuel oil leaking from the vessel. In accordance with established protocol, a fresh pilot replaced Captain John Cota after the vessel was safely anchored so that the required drug and alcohol tests could be administered.
“The San Francisco Bar Pilots is a group of maritime professionals dedicated to safe shipping in and out of San Francisco Bay,” McIsaac said. “Over more than 150 years of service in Northern California, we have maintained a sterling safety record. Since the advent of radar, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have never been involved in a major oil spill. Everything we train for and do on the job is designed for safe and secure shipping. Many of us were drawn to a career in piloting because of our early love of the sea and ships. We all live and work in this community and are devastated by the effect this accident has had on the San Francisco Bay Area. We are reviewing the incident involving the Cosco Busan and will be working to insure that our own procedures are the best they can be to prevent this type of accident.”
Qualified applicants who are selected for the pilot training program undergo extensive training, testing and evaluation on an average of 600 vessel transits before being considered for a commission as a state licensed pilot. Bar pilots are licensed by the U. S. Coast Guard and the
California State Board of Pilot Commissioners. They must qualify for continued licensing by the federal government every five years and by the State Pilot Commission every year.
San Francisco Bar Pilots direct nearly 10,000 vessel movements through San Francisco Bay and other Northern California waterways each year, providing a vital economic service for shipping companies and the public. Safe navigation and protection of the environment are the priority.
The San Francisco Bar Pilots has a member participating in the investigation being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board. “We are as eager as anyone to get to the root causes of this accident,” said Capt. McIsaac. “We will forward any recommendations we develop to the Board of Pilot Commissioners and other agencies at the appropriate time. San Francisco Bay poses its own unique set of challenges to anyone navigating this waterway. We will continue to provide our expertise to ensure safe shipping in and out of San Francisco Bay and its tributaries.”
For more information, visit www.sfbarpilots.com.