Investigations on Container Ship Berthing from the Pilot’s Perspective: Accident Analysis, Ethnographic Study, and Online Survey

In recent years, container ships have had to transport more and more goods due to constantly growing demand. Therefore, the container ships for carrying these goods are growing in size, while the harbors fall short in adapting to these changes. As a result, the berthing of these container ships in harbors has become more challenging for harbor pilots. In this work, we identify problems and risks with which pilots are confronted during the berthing process. First, we analyzed approximately 1500 accident reports from six different transportation safety authorities and identified their major causes. Second, we conducted an ethnographic study with harbor pilots in Hamburg to observe their actions. Third, we gained more specific insights on pilots environments and communications through an online survey of 30 harbor pilots from different European countries. We conclude our work with recommendations on how to reduce problems and risks during berthing of container vessels.