I don't know shit about this, you mean the captain (or his subordinates) isn't in control and the locals from the canal actually physically drive the ship through the canal?
Not physically control it but direct the pilotage of. Skippers don't manipulate controls, they provide commands (given by the pilots in controlled waters like this). Pilots are pretty much local subject matter experts and know pretty much every aspect of the water by heart.
Gotcha. Supposedly it was bad weather, a sandstorm and some bad wind, that blew the ship off course. That wouldn't be the local pilots fault though right, it's the fault of the people that are on the ship?
That's my understanding. They just had a shitty day, but can you imagine the force of that wind to drive the bow right into the canal wall through 5m of water?! I mean, I get the cross section of the stern was massive with all them containers but wew lad.
I don't know shit about this, you mean the captain (or his subordinates) isn't in control and the locals from the canal actually physically drive the ship through the canal?
Not physically control it but direct the pilotage of. Skippers don't manipulate controls, they provide commands (given by the pilots in controlled waters like this). Pilots are pretty much local subject matter experts and know pretty much every aspect of the water by heart.
Gotcha. Supposedly it was bad weather, a sandstorm and some bad wind, that blew the ship off course. That wouldn't be the local pilots fault though right, it's the fault of the people that are on the ship?
That's my understanding. They just had a shitty day, but can you imagine the force of that wind to drive the bow right into the canal wall through 5m of water?! I mean, I get the cross section of the stern was massive with all them containers but wew lad.
The captain is legally always in control and responsible, but yes, local pilots take over the physical controls. Same thing happens in large ports.