About Us
What River Pilots do
River pilots are licensed by the State of Oregon to provide pilotage services for
the maritime industry. Pilots possess the extensive local knowledge and ship-handling
skills necessary for commercial and governmental vessels of all types and sizes
to safely transit the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. These vessels are piloted
in all kinds of weather, at all hours of the day and night, 365 days a year. River
pilots have been engaging in this demanding profession for over 100 years.
Most orders for vessel movements originate at our office located in the Rivergate District of North Portland. River pilots are dispatched from this modern facility where all vessel activities are tracked and coordinated as they arrive, anchor, shift between berths or depart. Monitoring ships via our customized version of AIS, dispatchers provide the entire industry with a centralized source for real time information on vessel locations and operations.
Most orders for vessel movements originate at our office located in the Rivergate District of North Portland. River pilots are dispatched from this modern facility where all vessel activities are tracked and coordinated as they arrive, anchor, shift between berths or depart. Monitoring ships via our customized version of AIS, dispatchers provide the entire industry with a centralized source for real time information on vessel locations and operations.
The Pilotage Grounds
The river pilots cover over 320 nautical miles of the Columbia River from Astoria
at river mile 17 to the ports of Longview, Kalama, Vancouver and Portland, and as
far as the up river ports of The Dalles and Pasco. They also cover 13 miles of the
Willamette River from its mouth to the seawall in downtown Portland.
The Columbia River navigation channel is maintained to an operating depth of 40 feet and 600 feet in width. The distance between the Astoria pilot station and the mouth of the Willamette at Kelley Point is 75 nautical miles. Between Astoria and the sea wall in downtown Portland there are over 90 course changes. The longest straight stretch of river is only about 2 miles in length. This route is one of the most lengthy and demanding pilotage grounds in the world.
Inbound vessels destined for all points upriver are boarded by a river pilot above the Astoria-Megler Bridge where they take over from the Columbia River Bar Pilots.
A typical inbound transit will take between six and seven hours from when the river pilot boards in Astoria to when the ship arrives at the mouth of the Willamette River.
The Columbia River navigation channel is maintained to an operating depth of 40 feet and 600 feet in width. The distance between the Astoria pilot station and the mouth of the Willamette at Kelley Point is 75 nautical miles. Between Astoria and the sea wall in downtown Portland there are over 90 course changes. The longest straight stretch of river is only about 2 miles in length. This route is one of the most lengthy and demanding pilotage grounds in the world.
Inbound vessels destined for all points upriver are boarded by a river pilot above the Astoria-Megler Bridge where they take over from the Columbia River Bar Pilots.
A typical inbound transit will take between six and seven hours from when the river pilot boards in Astoria to when the ship arrives at the mouth of the Willamette River.
Becoming a River Pilot
River pilot candidates are selected by the Oregon Board of Maritime Pilots. Those
selected must then complete a rigorous two and one-half year training program to
become a fully-licensed state pilot.
Candidates for this training program must have their Federal pilot’s license and a minimum of 2 years experience as Captain of a towboat operating on the Columbia/Willamette Rivers or have completed the apprenticeship training program.
Candidates for this training program must have their Federal pilot’s license and a minimum of 2 years experience as Captain of a towboat operating on the Columbia/Willamette Rivers or have completed the apprenticeship training program.