Pilotage services and applications in Turkey

Maritime Transportation is an extremely fast growing industry. In 1950 some600 million tons carried by the sea. Five decades later, in the beginning of the XXI.Century, more than 5 billion tons, more than 90% of the world?s cargoes weretransported around the world by ships.Large amounts of raw materials and cargoes such as oil can only betransported by the sea. There is no other means of transportation that can carry 250thousand tons in one vessel.That makes maritime transportation a chance for the human kind. But that alsopossibility of accident causes from human error may increase. Human element factoris responsible for some 82% of all maritime accidents.Pilotage is most classical way to minimize human errors. As the knowledge andexperience are the main basic framework that pilot should own. Safety oftransportation can be supported by pilots when vessel is floating through the riskywaters.When pilot was on board, he/she becomes a member of ship?s crew. Sometimespilot behaves as an advisor but sometimes he/she becames decision maker centerwhile maneuvering.This study aims to define the current situation of pilotage system in Turkey. Inaddition to the literature review and interpretation of the second hand data, theQuestionnaire technique is applied and the quantitative analysis of the service usersis realized.Key Word: 1) Master 2) Pilotage 3) Service Quality 4) Tug Boat 5) Port