New measures for a more efficient pilotage market

The pilotage act has been amended in order to make the pilotage market more efficient. As a follow-up on the amendments, the Danish Maritime Authority issues new regulations.

The pilotage market is to become more efficient. Therefore, the Danish Maritime launches a number of measures on 1 January 2015, inter alia simpler regulation of the pilotage area.

Simpler regulation
Now, the regulation of the pilotage market becomes simpler. The aim is to create greater flexibility, while maintaining the high level of navigational safety in Danish waters. More specifically, this has resulted in the following:

A new pilot embarkation arrangement.
Relaxation of the reporting obligations of the pilotage service providers as regards, inter alia, self-monitoring and equipment.
Repeal of the provisions on the requesting of pilots.

Increased competition in the pilotage area
From 1 May 2015, it will, for the first time, become possible for private pilotage service providers to apply for authorisation to perform transit pilotage assignments in Danish territorial waters in the years 2016 to 2019. A transit pilotage assignment is the piloting of a voyage or a part hereof that does not start or end in a Danish port.

The transition from a gradual discontinuation of the monopoly of DanPilot to perform transit pilotage assignments from 1 January 2016 to the opening of full competition in the transit pilotage area on 1 January 2020 is regulated by means of the authorisation scheme.

You can read more in the process description of the authorisation scheme and in the order on a transit pilotage authorisation scheme.

Report on shore-based pilotage
The consultancy company COWI has drawn up a report on shore-based pilotage. The report points to the fact that technological developments will present certain possibilities of shore-based pilotage on minor stretches in Danish waters.

The Danish Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Business and Growth will come to a decision on the future follow-up on the report.
Source: Danish Maritime Authority