Title 12 . Professional and Vocational Regulations

Chapter 56 . Big Game Guides and Transporters

Section 960. Duties of pilots

12 AAC 56.960. Duties of pilots

(a) A pilot shall be on duty, at the conn, piloting the vessel at all times when the vessel is in transit or maneuvering in compulsory pilotage waters. A pilot at the conn may only be relieved for cause by the vessel's master or the officer in charge of the navigational watch when the master is absent from the bridge. The pilot may voluntarily relinquish the conn to a ship's officer, but may reassume the conn at any time.

(b) A passenger vessel in transit of compulsory pilotage waters not excluded under 12 AAC 56.110 must carry two pilots on board except during an entry transit between a pilot station and a harbor or anchorage within compulsory pilotage waters, or an exit from compulsory pilotage waters where the entry or exit transit is normally less than eight hours.

(c) A non-passenger vessel in a continuous transit of compulsory pilotage waters of Southeast Alaska that is expected to exceed eight hours must employ two pilots.

(d) If a vessel piloted by a state licensed pilot goes aground, collides with another vessel or dock, meets with any casualty, or is damaged in any way, the pilot shall, no later than 72 hours after returning ashore after the incident, file with the marine pilot coordinator an incident report as described in 12 AAC 56.965. The marine pilot coordinator will, in the coordinator's discretion, investigate the reported incident.

(e) A pilot shall report to the Aids to Navigation office of the United States Coast Guard, all changes in lights, range lights, buoys, and any dangers to navigation that may come to that pilot's knowledge.

(f) A pilot who fails to make a report to the marine pilot coordinator, as required by this chapter, is subject to the disciplinary provisions of AS 08.62.150 and 08.62.155.

(g) A pilot when so notified in writing shall report in person to the board at any meeting specified in the notice.

(h) A pilot summoned to testify before the board shall appear in accordance with the summons and shall answer, under oath, any questions asked which deal with any matter connected with piloting or the pilotage waters over which the pilot is licensed to act. The pilot is entitled to have an attorney or advisor present during any such appearance and testimony.

(i) A pilot on boarding a ship, if required by the master, shall exhibit his or her state license or photostatic copy of it.

(j) A pilot on board a vessel must be provided access to an operable radio on the bridge at all times to use on channel 16 VHF for safety purposes.

(k) A pilot organization shall report on a quarterly basis all pilotage performed by each pilot on vessels that were subject to AS 08.62. The report shall be submitted to the marine pilot coordinator by electronic mail or on a 3.5" computer floppy diskette. The report must include the following elements and be formatted in the same order:

(1) pilot name;

(2) date of departure;

(3) time of departure;

(4) date of arrival;

(5) time of arrival;

(6) place departed;

(7) place arrived;

(8) vessel name;

(9) vessel gross tons;

(10) vessel IMO number;

(11) vessel type;

(12) waters transited;

(13) trainee name;

(14) training evolution;

(15) pilot association affiliation.

( l ) Upon boarding a ship, a pilot shall conduct a briefing with the master or other appropriate deck officers. The briefing may include a discussion of the proposed route, including courses, speeds, and planned maneuvers, and a discussion of the squat and unique maneuvering characteristics of the vessel. The pilot may conduct additional briefings throughout the transit of compulsory pilotage waters.

History: Eff. 6/11/71, Register 38; am 6/19/74, Register 50; am 5/12/78, Register 66; am 7/24/83, Register 87; am 12/26/86, Register 100; am 8/29/87, Register 103; am 7/26/90, Register 115; am 11/7/93, Register 128; am 5/17/95, Register 134; am 6/16/96, Register 138; am 1/23/99, Register 149; am 3/15/2002, Register 161

Authority: AS 08.62.040

AS 08.62.160

Editor's note: For the purposes of 12 AAC 56.960, the marine pilot coordinator's mailing address and phone number are Marine Pilot Coordinator, Division of Occupational Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, P.O. Box 11806, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0806: Phone (907)465-2534. The Marine Pilot Coordinator's electronic mail address may be obtained by contacting the Division of Occupational Licensing.

As of Register 171 (October 2004), the regulations attorney made technical revisions under AS 44.62.125 (b)(6) to reflect the name change of the Department of Community and Economic Development to the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development made by ch. 47, SLA 2004 and the corresponding title change of the commissioner of community and economic development.