Private pilot violates safety rules at Big Port St. Petersburg

A vessel guided by a private company’s marine pilot has created a dangerous situation in the Big Port St. Petersburg, Rosmorport told PortNews. Rosmorport operating the regional Vessel Traffic Management and Information Systems (VTMIS) confirmed that yesterday, July 26, 2012 a pilot of non-governmental company "St. Pb Pilot," V. Pavlenko began steering the M/V Esther Shults from Berth No 85 to Berth No 48 without asking permission of the VTMIS.

Before that, he was repeatedly warned about the passage of the M/V Elbrus (guided by the same company’s pilot M. Parkhomenko). As a result, the private pilot's actions created a dangerous situation, which was prevented only by operative measures by the VTMIS employees.