San Francisco Pilots Delay Bid for Second Pilot for Big Container Ships

The San Francisco Bar Pilots (SFBP) and Assemblyman Sandré Swanson said they decided to delay their legislative effort to establish rates to provide a second pilot to navigate the world’s largest container vessels into the Port of Oakland. Assemblyman Swanson’s AB-2287 would have provided a partial fee for a second pilot that would operate specialty positioning equipment. SFPB President Bruce Horton said: “When it became clear that the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) and other special interest groups did not share our commitment to safety by engaging in good faith negotiations to find a compromise, we decided that it would be best to continue to try and work with the stakeholders to find a solution.” SFPB said AB 2287 would have affected less than one percent of Bay shipping traffic (fewer than 10 vessels annually). But it said as the shipping industry continues to push for larger ships, the number could grow.