An innovative approach to marine pilotage recruitment and training has increased the breadth of skills and knowledge in our marine team and set us up for the long term.
With an ageing pilot team, and following significant labour pressures through the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a new pilot training programme that looked beyond the regular practice of recruiting seafarers who wished to come ashore after a long career at sea.
The programme considered the competency we required, included guidance around the minimum number of ships a prospective pilot was required to undertake before becoming qualified, and increased the quantity of intensive simulation training.
With support from the Port Taranaki harbourmaster and the Executive Leadership Team, and driven by senior pilot Neill MacKean, the new training programme was developed and approved by Maritime New Zealand.
A key focus of the programme was looking to the navy for a new source of younger yet experienced and well-rounded former captains, who were keen to utilise their skills at a commercial port.
Although former navy staff have become pilots at other ports, they have typically been required to train at maritime school and return to sea for a period of time before becoming a marine pilot. Our programme took into consideration their previous naval training, and their experience and skills, and we have been thrilled with the results.
We have trained and qualified three ex-navy captains (one of whom has since moved on), and an ex-dredge master, all of whom achieved their qualifications well within the usual 12-month time frame, highlighting their aptitude and capability.
“With an ex-seafarer also on the team, we have a good mix of skills and experience, which is important as we move forward,” says Port Taranaki marine manager Ben Martin, himself a former navy captain.
“This is a dredging port, so having an ex-dredge master onboard helps us select dredging methodologies and provides us with good practical dredging operational experience.
“Likewise, the quality of training, and leadership and management experience in the navy is very high, so the navy guys have helped us with our planning, coordination and whole team communicating.
“Overall, we now have a combined pilot and marine services team that comprises a great mix of master mariners and navy captains to complement and balance our services offering.”
The multi-talented team and the lower average age of the pilot team, sets us up as we diversify our marine services offering and as we prepare for future changes in trade through our port.
Photo: Port Taranaki marine pilots Daniel Satherley, left, Guy Mexted, and Jeff Handcock. The team also includes senior pilot Adam Eager and relief senior pilot Neill MacKean.
For more stories from our annual report, click here.
