Order a Pilot

How To Order a Harbor Pilot

Arriving Vessels:

Contact Pilot Dispatch 24 hours before arrival with following information:

International Gross Tonnage, LOA, Beam, Deep Draft, name of local agent.

Call pilot station on VHF Ch. 16 four hours prior to arrival and one hour prior to arrival at the Tampa Sea Buoy. Pilot station stands by on VHF Ch. 16, 13, 12 and 10. Additional instructions will be given upon radio contact.

If instructed to anchor, please keep 24 hour radio watch on VHF Ch. 12 and Ch. 13.

If proceeding inbound in Egmont Channel, maintain radio watch on VHF Ch. 12 and Ch. 13.

Sailing or Shifting

Alongside:

Call Pilot Dispatch via telephone or VHF Ch. 10. A minimum 2.5 hours is required prior to requested pilot boarding time.

From Gadsden Anchorage:

Call Pilot Dispatch via telephone or VHF Ch. 10. A minimum 3 hours is required prior to requested pilot boarding time for movements from Gadsden Anchorage.

Who Needs A Harbor Pilot?

  1. All vessels shall have a licensed state pilot or certificated deputy pilot on board to direct the movements of the vessel when entering or leaving ports of this state or when underway upon the navigable waters of the bays, rivers, harbors, and ports of this state, except:
    • Vessels exempted by the laws of the United States;
    • Monohulled vessels drawing less than 7 feet of water;
    • Multihulled, swath, or nondisplacement vessels for which the product of the length overall and extreme beam is less than 6,000 square feet, and which draw less than 7 feet of water;
    • Any vessel, when docking or undocking; or
    • Any vessel, when moving about within a shipyard or moving between a shipyard and a berth or slip directly adjacent to the shipyard.
  2. A vessel is docking or undocking when a tug or tugs are assisting the vessel, or the vessel is making use of a bow thruster or other lateral thrust devices incorporated into the vessel itself, in close proximity to the dock, with the vessel under the direction or control of the master, docking master, licensed state pilot, or certificated deputy pilot. If the vessel that is docking or undocking is under the direction or control of the master or docking master, such direction or control must have been delivered from the licensed state pilot or be in the process of being delivered to the licensed state pilot.
  3. Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny the services of a licensed state pilot to a vessel otherwise exempt who applies for such service.