Rules/Law

A recognised activity of general interest

The public service mission, which by definition should be a service organised in the general interest, is supported by case law and by the qualification of ‘public pilotage service’ affirmed by the Conseil d’Etat on 2 June 1972: ‘It is also the responsibility of the administrative authority, in order to ensure the policing of traffic in ports, and insofar as the safety of traffic so requires, to make the right of ships to travel in ports subject to the possession of a special licence by their captain or to the use of the public pilotage service’.

More recently, in 1988, Robert Rézenthel described marine pilotage as ‘an activity of general interest’. Although this activity is little known to the general public, it should be understood more broadly as an activity carried out in the interest of all, and which benefits the population in a beneficial way.

Within the European Union, maritime pilots, who are the only port personnel to board ships ‘en route’, are required to report to the port of call if the ships present a risk to the environment, safety or port security.
If this is the case, warnings can be issued by the pilots, and are passed on to the authorities, inevitably leading the pilots to work in the interests of all. This mission of general interest could not exist without the absolute objectivity of the pilots in the control of the ships (controls which will be transmitted to the Centre of Safety of the Ships of the countries of Europe, and will feed data bases).

Le Statut du pilote en France – Station de pilotage du Havre Fécamp

Legal organisation of the pilot station

All French pilot stations are governed by the same legislation.

‘In France, all pilots must be attached to a pilotage station. The French pilotage stations have a very specific structure, built around the status of the pilot, an independent professional seaman exercising the continuous public service of pilotage under the supervision of the State’.

‘As each pilotage area has its own local characteristics, each pilotage station is unique and must be considered as a special case. Taking into account the intensity of port traffic, the configuration of the port, the limits of the compulsory pilotage areas, the number of staff and the quality and composition of the equipment, local pilotage regulations are drawn up and approved by the Regional Director of Maritime Affairs. These regulations lay down the compulsory thresholds as well as the conditions for issuing master pilot licences.

Having evolved over time through numerous decrees, the regulations have preserved their originality and basic principles; the pilotage stations created by the State provide a public service and are self-managed. However, pilots commissioned by the public authorities are not ordinary employees. Pilotage is compulsory for all ships entering and leaving French ports, and pilots own their own equipment. The texts that govern it enshrine, on the one hand, the grouping of common interests, where in the past individualism prevailed and, on the other hand, continuity in the profession through the adoption of previously codified practices. Since 1928, this system has proved its effectiveness and adaptability.

The main principles include recruitment based on traffic needs and joint management of equipment.

Pilotage tariffs, the number of staff and the composition of the equipment are set by decree by the Maritime Affairs administration, after consultation with a local commercial assembly comprising, apart from two pilots, the various port and shipping partners. This assembly meets once a year.

The trilogy: Station, Community, Trade Union

Despite their geographical differences, the French pilotage stations have some features in common, due to their administrative and legal organisation, and the status of the pilot. The three main bodies co-existing within a pilotage station are still the pilots‘ community, the pilots’ union and the pilotage station:

The pilotage is made up primarily of the pilots and the pilot syndicate. The pilots are co-owners of their equipment through the pilot syndicate.

The second element is the station, which is responsible for organising the public service and applying the list turn. Its hierarchical management is under the control of the maritime affairs administration and entrusted to an appointed chief pilot. This function is carried out in Le Havre by the president of the syndicate. The chief pilot regulates the tour of duty and oversees the application of regulations and the composition, use and maintenance of the station’s naval (and air) equipment. It reports to the maritime affairs administrator on all incidents relating to the service.

Finally, the syndicate acts ‘by order and on behalf’ of the community. It is responsible for operating expenses. It manages and directs the station’s staff. Its chairman is democratically elected by all the pilots for a two-year term, renewable once. He is assisted in his daily duties by a board of eight pilots, who are also elected.

Extract from the thesis Master II Droit de la Mer: Le pilotage maritime dans l’Union Européenne: statuts, organisations et responsabilités civiles des pilotes – Pierre CASTETZ.
Extract from the book ‘Les pilotes maritimes Français – Cent ans de métier’ by Marie Françoise Pochulu – Edition des falaises.

Links to the main texts

National legislation

CODE DES TRANSPORTS – Partie législative – Cinquième partie : Transport et navigation maritimes / LIVRE III : Les ports maritimes / TITRE IV : les services portuaires / Chapitre 1er : Le pilotage
CODE DES TRANSPORTS – Partie réglementaire – Cinquième partie : Transport et navigation maritimes / LIVRE III : Les ports maritimes / TITRE IV : les services portuaires / Chapitre 1er : Le pilotage
- Section 1 : Service de pilotage et rémunération du pilote
  - Sous section 1 : Le service de pilotage
    - Paragraphe 1 : Obligation de pilotage
    - Paragraphe 2 : Conditions d’exécution du service
    - Paragraphe 3 : Statut des pilotes
  - Sous-section 2 : Rémunération du pilote
    - Paragraphe 1 : Tarifs du pilotage
    - Paragraphe 2 : Indemnités de pilotage
    - Paragraphe 3 : Règlement de la rémunération du pilote
- Section 2 : Les stations de pilotage
  - Sous-section 1 : Dispositions générales
  - Sous-section 2 : Organisation des stations de pilotage
  - Sous-section 3 : Propriété et gestion du matériel de la station
  - Sous-section 4 : Caisse de retraite et de secours
  - Sous-section 5 : Dispositions financières
- Section 3 : Responsabilité du pilote
- Section 4 : Pilotage des bateaux

Arrêté du 8 avril 1991 relatif aux conditions d’aptitude physique aux fonctions de pilote et de capitaine pilote

Décret n° 2015-1575 du 3 décembre 2015 relatif à la santé et à l’aptitude médicale à la navigation

Arrêté du 26 septembre 1990 portant organisation et programme des concours de pilotage

Local regulations

Arrêté n°149/2015 relatif au règlement local de la station de pilotage du Havre Fécamp
Arrêté n°149/2015 relatif au règlement local de la station de pilotage du Havre Fécamp – Annexe II-1 – Délivrance des licences de Capitaine-Pilote
Arrêté n°42/2016 portant modification du règlement local de la station de pilotage du Havre Fécamp – Annexe II-3 – Délivrance des licences de Patron-Pilote pour les bateaux fluviaux transportant des passagers qui effectuent une navigation dans les limites de la station de pilotage du Havre
Arrêté n°149/2015 relatif au règlement local de la station de pilotage du Havre Fécamp – Annexe IV – Programme des épreuves écrites et orales pour le concours de pilotage de la Station du Havre – Fécamp.