ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on the rights and liabilities of, and the general legal relationships between, ship's Masters, shipowners, pilots and third parties with whom they come into contact. The Secretary of State for Transport has responsibility for the promulgating of 'pilotage orders'. The Pilotage Act 1987 came into force on 1 October 1988. The Act is divided into four parts subheaded: Pilotage functions of competent harbour authorities, General provisions governing pilotage, Winding up of existing pilotage organization and Supplementary. Historically, the idea of compulsory pilotage was based on the need for national security and the protection of life and property in harbour and port areas. This is the rationale of compulsory pilotage generally in those countries where it exists by law. Obligations of ships navigating where there is a pilotage direction for compulsory pilotage are contained in the three subsections under section 15 of the 1987 Pilotage Act.
