New Caledonia Pilot Station Presentation

The pilot station

Historic

Esmeralda

The discovery of sandalwood on the Isle of Pines in 1840 helped to increase traders’ interest in New Caledonia. This wealth soon provided Australian ships with a back-load on their voyages to import tea from China. This trade explains the early presence of British and Australian seamen along New Caledonia’s coast and in the Loyalty Islands.
John Oliver, captain of the British vessel Speck, was the first pilot commissioned by the French government, by order of Man of War Captain Tardy de Montravel, on 03 May 1854. On his death, Oliver was buried on Casy Island, in Prony Bay where his grave is still visible. James Paddon, a sandalwood captain and a wise trader, also piloted French vessels during their first visit to Port de France (Nouméa).

On 01 November 1856, Governor du Bouzet created the first pilot station in the Isle of Pines. But a decree issued on 30 May 1859 set up pilotage regulations at three stations: one on the Isle of Pines, one in Woodin Canal (Pilot’s Bay), and the third at Port de France.
Year after year, the pilotage service became better organised. The main station was established on Amédée Island, well marked with a metal lighthouse, prefabricated in France and erected in 1865 by order of Emperor, Napoleon III. A pilot cutter was cruising a few miles off the barrier reef, between Dumbea Pass and Mato Pass. Approaching vessels were boarded and led inside the lagoon through Boulari passage by a first pilot, to a position situated one mile north of the lighthouse where a second pilot was taking over to bring the ship into Noumea. The cutter was based at Amédée Island and the first pilot had to remain on station for one month.

On 31 December 1887, pilotage in New Caledonia was privatised. On 09 September 1909, the service was made compulsory for overseas vessels and was carried out exclusively by the Pilots’ Company.
On 02 December 1936, pilotage regulations were reshuffled by decree, in order to fit in with the 1884 regulations regarding professional syndicates and with the French law of 28 March 1928, ruling Pilot Stations. Today, eleven pilots are organised in a professional syndicate, regulated by governmental decree. The pilot station of New Caledonia is ISO 9002 approved by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance since 1997.

Nowadays

New Station

Todays the pilotage it is more or less 10 pilots along with as many crewmembers and shore based personal, 4 pilot boats, one office and one workshop. The new pilot station completed by the end of 2009 is still on the same location in downtown Noumea.

Being in charge of all the maritime traffic on the mainland and the outlying islands we will find others activity centers where pilots are regularly dispatched:

Pointe de Vavouto

In the Northern Province : To Vavouto Port (still under construction) and in mining ports or anchorages ( Poya, Népoui, Karembé , Paagoumene , Baie Ugue , Kouaoua , Canala and Nakety) as well as Hienghene or Poum for the cruise ships.

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Port de Prony

In the Southern Province : To Prony Port and in mining ports or anchorages ( Tontouta, Thio, Ouinne Ounia) as well as the Isle of Pines for the cruise ships.

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Un paquebot au mouillage à Lifou

In the Loyalty Islands : To Lifou or Mare for the passengers ships and to any other port where a pilot is needed (whether mandatory or on request)

Voir les différents types de pilotines.

Quality Compliance

LRQA

By adopting the ISO 9001:2000 certification, we aim to enhance customer satisfaction by creating a customer and environment-focused policy, through an adequate acquisition and deployment of resources, including personnel training.







Consequently, the NC pilots are committed to :

1. Comply and enforce all quality documents issued by NC Pilot Station.
2. Serve the ships as they are coming up in the best safety conditions.
3. Inform Captain about the pilotage operation before performing it, and acknowledge that it has been fully understood.
4. Transmit to harbour authorities and any other ship, all the information deemed as necessary for the traffic ease and security.
5. Be courteous in their relations with captains, Agents or any person involved in their professional activity.
6. Not to be committed with any other party taking part entirely or partly in the pilotage activity so as to preserve their freedom of action and the objectivity of their judgment in the interest of traffic and its security.
7. Report to the agent any incident during a pilotage operation.
8. Report to port authorities as fast as possible any accident, event, or breach of security which could harm the safety of navigation, the protection of environment and/ or the good condition of port installations.
9. Report to the French Flap and Port Authorities any defectiveness concerning ships, that is likely to threat human life at sea, the security of navigation and/ or the maritime environment.
10. Update and maintain their technical and legal knowledge.

Departments

Management

There are 4 differents fonctions : President, Vice-president, Quality manager, secretary. They are in charge with the authorities, agents and owners.
All shipping lanes , conditions of access to any port or anchorage with all related limitations ( wind, draught,…) must be approved by this department.
All derogation requests must be sent to this department.

Contact : direction@pilotage-maritime.nc

Crew and technical department

This department is in charge of all technical equipment and manning.

e-mail : armement@pilotage-maritime.nc

Financial department

Two branches : accounting and invoicing.
Apply any quotation to this department as well as remarks regarding an invoice..

e-mail : comptabilite@pilotage-maritime.nc

e-mail : facturation@pilotage-maritime.nc

Pilot Station Office

The secretary is in charge of the roster, and dispach the pilots as necessary.
Working hours :
working day : 07h00 to 11h00 & 13h45 to 17h30
Week end & public holidays : 07h30 to 11h30 & 17h30 à 19h00

e-mail : mouvement@pilotage-maritime.nc

Workshop

Under the supervision of the technical department, the chief engineer is in charge with the maintenance of all the pilot boats.

e-mail : atelier@pilotage-maritime.nc

Pilot boats

	Length	Breadth	Power in HP	Speed in knots
NODDI	15,00	4,82	2 x 525	23
STERNE II	16,20	5,00	2 x 500	20
OCEANITE	11,95	3,70	2 x 425	30
BALBUZARD	9,10	2,92	2 x 200	40

Pilot airplanes

	Constructor	Model
F-OPIL	DIAMOND	DA42-NG-VI