From the bridge
RSSPractical maritime compliance.
Plain-English writing for commercial operators — USCG rules, Sub M, STCW, cyber, and the free tools we built along the way. No regulatory fog. No SEO filler.
Where US State Pilotage Is Required: A State-by-State Orientation
Federal law sets the floor, but state pilotage law decides who actually has to take a pilot in most US ports. Here's how state compulsory pilotage works, why nearly every coastal state runs its own system, and what it means for a pilots association's coverage.
Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Compliance (46 CFR Part 28): What Owners Must Carry
Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country, and 46 CFR Part 28 sets the safety equipment, exam, and training requirements that follow from that. Here's what a fishing vessel owner has to carry and keep current.
Columbia River Pilotage: Dispatch Across the Bar and the River
The Columbia pairs one of the world's most dangerous bar crossings with a hundred-mile river transit serving multiple ports — and two separate pilot groups who hand off at Astoria. Here's the dispatch challenge of the whole system and what coordinating it actually takes.
Choosing Maritime Compliance Software: A US Operator's Buyer's Guide
Most maritime software is built for large international fleets, priced per vessel, and sold through a sales cycle. If you run 1–50 US-flag vessels under 46 CFR, the evaluation criteria are different. Here's what actually matters.
Chesapeake Bay Pilotage: Dispatch Across a Long Bay to Many Ports
The Chesapeake is a long bay serving Hampton Roads near the mouth and Baltimore nearly 150 miles up — with Virginia and Maryland pilots and a handoff between them. Coordinating a multi-port corridor of that length is the dispatch challenge. Here's how it works.
Charleston Harbor Pilotage: Dispatch for a Deep-Draft Container Port
Charleston deepened its harbor to handle the largest containerships calling the US East Coast — which puts under-keel clearance and draft-driven timing at the center of dispatch. Here's the challenge of a deep-draft district and what helps.
Ballast Water Management Compliance for US Operators, Explained
Ballast water is regulated by two overlapping US authorities — the Coast Guard and the EPA — plus the international convention. For a US operator the question is which apply to your vessel and what records you must keep. Here's the plain-English version.
Pilotage Tariff Invoicing and Detention Billing: Stop Eating the Standby Time
Detention and standby are the most under-billed line on a pilotage invoice. Here's how to stop eating it and tie every charge back to the transit.
Pilot Fatigue and Rest-Hours: Keeping an Unfit Pilot Out of the Rotation
Fatigue is a leading cause of pilotage incidents. How to derive work hours from real transits, enforce rest, and auto-skip an unfit pilot.
Pilot Ladder Safety Under SOLAS V/23: Building a Deficiency Log Your Association Can Escalate
The most dangerous 90 seconds of the job. A tap-through boarding checklist, SOLAS V/23 rigging rules, and a fleet-wide deficiency log that changes operator behavior.
Rotation Equity: Settling the Fair-Share Dispute That Splits Pilots Associations
The deepest fight inside a pilots association isn't safety — it's whether turns and the lucrative jobs are shared fairly. Here's how to measure it.
The USCG Physical & Drug Test (CG-719K): What to Expect
The medical exam and drug test trip up more captain's license applications than the written test. Here's exactly what the CG-719K physical checks, what can disqualify you, and how to pass the drug screen.