Pilot flying solo at port

‘Stressed’ worker on call 24/7 for weeks a concern, says union

A MARINE pilot at the Hobart port is “stressed beyond belief” having had to work solo around the clock for the past month.

The worker’s union says the pilot has been on call 24/7 due to his two colleagues being on long service and sick leave.

“He’s got to have his phone by his bed,” union spokesman Jarrod Moran said. “He can’t make any plans with his family.”

The Government said an extra pilot would start soon.

A MARINE pilot at the Hobart port is “stressed beyond belief” having had to work solo around the clock for the past month, the worker’s union says.

The father-of-two has been on-call 24/7 due to the port’s other two pilots being on long service leave and extended sick leave, respectively.

Australian Maritime Officers Union senior industrial officer Jarrod Moran said the situation would continue for several more weeks.

“He can’t make any plans with his family, he can’t drive more than an hour from the port, he can’t sit at home on Friday night and have a beer,’’ he said.

“He’s got to have his phone by his bed, dealing with shipping agents, dealing with the port and the ship itself.”

The port is usually serviced by three pilots who are on a rotational roster system and are meant to work no more than 12 hours a day. Mr Moran said the pilot had conducted himself professionally but was “struggling through”.

“I’m concerned for his safety,’’ he said. “He’s coping but it’s not the best situation to be in.”

Labor’s new treasury spokesman David O’Byrne questioned the Government about the issue during question time in parliament this week.

Mr O’Byrne said concerns had been raised previously about the shortage of marine pilots available to ensure freight and cruise vessels can dock safely and efficiently at the state’s ports.

“It’s not only unsafe to expect one pilot to be on call for every second of the day, but heading into the busy cruise ship season presents an unacceptable risk to all users of the port,’’ he said.

“These problems have been known to the Government all year — so why have they not stepped in to fix it and keep people safe.”

Mr Moran said Tasports had agreed to put on another pilot later this year which would increase the number of workers to four.

But he said the worker would take up to 18 months to train.

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson refused to answer a question about whether the Government recognised the hours of the overworked pilot as a safety issue. He said Tasports had advised there had been no disruptions to shipping as a result of any pilot shortage.

Mr Ferguson said a fourth marine pilot had been recruited who would be operating by the time shipping activity increases in mid-October.

“To ensure no disruptions to shipping, a marine pilot from the North-West is on standby if needed for the Port of Hobart,’’ he said.