PILOTAGE ORGANIZATION

It is a statutory obligation under the provisions of the Pilotage Law that a (regional) pilots' association be established by the licensed pilots who belong to a designated pilotage district. The organization of an association is as shown in Fig.1.

Fig 1

Duties to be undertaken by the association are as follows: To perform pilotage services and collect pilotage fees covering the services rendered. To manage and operate the pilotage office and facilities (including pilot boats, radio equipment, etc.) necessary for performing pilotage services. To train pilots. To give guidance to pilots. To perform communications services for pilots.

These pilots' associations are independent organizations. In Japan, there are 39 associations, but their sizes vary to a considerable extent. The largest, the Inland Sea Pilots' Association, has about 120 pilots whereas the smallest one embodies only one pilot. (See Fig. 2)