Pilotage

The Swedish Transport Agency establishes regulations on pilotage in the Swedish territorial waters. The Swedish Transport Agency also issues Pilot Exemption Certificates.

Valid regulations are found in the Swedish Transport Agency's Regulations and General Advice (TSFS 2022:94) on Pilotage. These regulations stipulate in which fairways and waters the use of pilot is compulsory.

We`ve developed a training material. The purpose of the material is to explain relevant parts of those regulations. The material is also intended as a sourse of information for those who wish to find out more about compulsonary pilotage and the process relating to pilot exemtion certificates in Sweden

Pilotage line

A pilotage line is a line at the entrance of a designated pilotage fairway, indicating the border where the compulsory use of pilot comes in force. The locations of the pilotage lines stated for the respective designated pilotage fairways are found in the pilotage regulations.

When a vessel entering a fairway and passes a pilotage line, the pilot shall be fully prepared to start the pilotage. When an outbound vessel passes through a fairway the pilotage must not come to an end before the vessel passes the pilotage line. The pilot boarding area for each designated pilotage fairway is established by the Swedish Maritime Administration. The location of the boarding area is determined with regard to, among other things, the positions of the pilotage line.

Exemple of a pilotage line on a map

 

Pilot Exemption Certificate (PEC)

The pilotage regulations state how a master or other nautical officer on a vessel can apply for an exemption from compulsory pilotage. An exemption from compulsory pilotage is issued as a Pilot Exemption Certificate, which is valid for a designated pilotage fairway or other areas. The theoretical and practical examinations that must be passed to obtain a PEC are described in the pilotage regulations.

Area exemptions

The pilotage regulations establish so called area exemptions. An area exemption is valid for certain sections of a port or other areas. An area exemption implies that the use of pilot is not compulsory for shorter movements in the area, for example when shifting between berths. The valid area exemptions are found in the pilotage regulations.

Fees

The fees for the issuing of PECs and other exemptions from compulsory pilotage are regulated in The Swedish Transport Agency’s Regulations (TSFS 2016:105) on Fees within the Maritime Sector.

Pilotage services

The Swedish Maritime Administration is the provider of pilotage services in Sweden. Regulations for these services and their respective fees are found in the Swedish Maritime Administration’s Regulations on the Availability of Pilots, Ordering of Pilotage, Allocation of Pilots.

The Swedish Maritime Administration regulations stipulate how to order pilotage, how the pilotage service is obtained and the fees for the pilotage services. Swedish fairways designated as pilotage fairways are also listed, as well as their respective boarding areas.

The Swedish Maritime Administration is the authority determining which fairways are to be defined as designated pilotage fairways.
You can read more about the Swedish pilotage services and ordering of pilotage on the Swedish Maritime Administration's website.

Swedish deep-sea pilotage

The Swedish Maritime Administration offers deep-sea pilotage service in the Baltic Sea area including the Kattegat. Read more about deep-sea pilotage at Sjöfartsverkets webpage.

Deep sea pilot (sjöfartsverket.se)