EMPA - European Maritime Pilots' Association

25/09/2026

📌 EMPA President Capt. Miguel Vieira de Castro was interviewed exclusively by SAFETY4SEA magazine.

Read the full interview ⬇️

In an exclusive interview, Capt. Miguel Vieira de Castro, President of the European Maritime Pilots’ Association (EMPA) stresses that pilotage should not be viewed simply as a service to the shipowner, but as a safety-critical function designed to protect national interests, the environment and cr...

21/09/2026

📩 We are pleased to share the latest European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA) Newsletter and are proud to welcome our new Journal Editor Arie Palmers.

👉 Enjoy reading!

20/09/2026

🚢 EMPA at the Remote Pilotage Days, Helsinki

EMPA has attended the Remote Pilotage Days, organized by Finnpilot in Helsinki on 16–17 September. We would like to thank the organizers for their kind invitation to open the conference, and congratulate them on putting together such a rich and thought-provoking programme, bringing together pilots, authorities, and industry from across Europe and beyond.

🗣️ In his opening address, EMPA Vice President and Chairman of the T&T Committee, Jose Antonio Perez Lorente, set the tone for the two days of discussion:
"Remote pilotage is one of the current hot topics in our sector. For EMPA, our strength lies in our unity, our experience, and our proactive commitment to today's and tomorrow's challenges. Starting from the premise that the pilot on board remains the essential element for safe, efficient, and sustainable maritime navigation, EMPA wants to be clear from the outset: our intention within this conference is not to promote or reject remote pilotage, but to open a space for technical and professional reflection, based on evidence and on the experience of those who work in pilotage practice every day. We are not here with fixed conclusions, but with questions that deserve to be explored seriously and rigorously."

This spirit of openness and rigour ran through the whole event — a reminder that our profession keeps evolving without ever losing sight of what matters most: the safety of navigation in our ports.
Thank you again to Finnpilot and to all the speakers and participants for two excellent days of dialogue."

27/08/2026

🇪🇺⚓ EMPA at the 27th IMPA Congress in Bali

The European Maritime Pilots’ Association (EMPA) is proud to be taking part in the 27th IMPA Congress in Bali, one of the most important international gatherings for the maritime pilots’ community.

EMPA President Capt. Miguel Vieira de Castro (Portugal), together with Vice Presidents Capt. Peter Lightfoot (United Kingdom), Capt. Stéphane Pousset (France), Capt. Gerhard Janßen (Germany) and Capt. Salvatore Mecca (Italy), are attending the Congress alongside a broad European delegation.

As always, Europe is strongly represented, with colleagues from many European countries, including Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey and Georgia, confirming the active participation of the European pilotage community within IMPA.

Throughout the Congress, pilots and experts are sharing experiences and perspectives on some of the key issues shaping our profession: maritime safety, ship handling and increasingly complex operational scenarios, human factors and training, new technologies and data, remote pilotage, Artificial Intelligence, and the challenges and opportunities facing pilotage systems worldwide.

Our sincere thanks go to IMPA, INAMPA and PANDU, as well as to everyone involved in the organisation, for their warm hospitality and for bringing the global maritime pilots’ community together here in Bali.

But an IMPA Congress is much more than presentations and technical discussions. It is also a special opportunity to meet, talk, exchange experiences and spend time together with fellow pilots from all over the world — renewing friendships, building new relationships and strengthening the sense of belonging to one global maritime pilots’ community.

Sharing knowledge, sharing experiences and sharing time together — strengthening the bonds that unite maritime pilots around the world. 🌍⚓

09/07/2026

📌 EMPA Activity Report | June 2026

🔗 LINK IN FIRST COMMENT

07/07/2026

📌 On 2 July 2026, the EMPA Board of Directors held its regular online meeting to review the Association's ongoing activities and discuss priorities for the months ahead.

ℹ️ The agenda covered strategic initiatives, training and technical developments, European maritime policy, membership matters and preparations for upcoming EMPA events.

Together, we continue working to strengthen cooperation among European maritime pilots and promote the highest standards of safety and professionalism.

02/07/2026

📩 We are pleased to share EMPA – European Maritime Pilots’ Association Newsletter n. 7

👉 A recommended read for the entire maritime community.

26/06/2026

📌 EMPA at ETA’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Istanbul

European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA) represented by its President Miguel Vieira de Castro was pleased to attend the 63rd Annual Meeting of the European Tugowners Association(ETA), hosted by Med Marine Holding A.Ş. , Sanmar A.S. and UZMAR in the remarkable setting of Istanbul.

Under the theme “Towage at the Frontline: Geopolitics, Military Mobility and Europe’s Maritime Security”, the event brought together key stakeholders from across the maritime sector to discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing our industry today.

🗣️ During the conference, EMPA had the opportunity to underline the importance of GREENPORT Alliances, promoting closer cooperation between ports, pilots, and maritime partners to advance sustainability, environmental responsibility, and operational efficiency.

Events like this are essential to strengthen collaboration across sectors and ensure a resilient, safe and sustainable maritime future.

Our sincere thanks to European Tugowners Association and the hosts for an excellent programme and outstanding hospitality.

26/06/2026

📌 Last Monday in preparation for the upcoming European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA) 2027 General Meeting, the President Miguel Vieira de Castro and EMPA Vice President and and Delegate for International Affairs of the Spanish Pilots' Association of Colegio Oficial Nacional de Prácticos de Puerto Jose A. Pérez conducted a site inspection along the Costa del Sol to identify the most suitable venues for our 61st GM

📍 The next General Meeting will take place (11th to 14th May 2027), in Estepona, Spain.
Costa del Sol, is one of southern Europe's most distinguished maritime and hospitality destinations.

ℹ️ The visit, organised with the collaboration of Patterson Travel, focused on evaluating potential conference facilities and accommodation options along the coast, with the aim of selecting a venue that truly reflects the standing of the European pilotage community. The delegation assessed a range of locations for their accessibility, infrastructure, and capacity to host a gathering befitting the importance of the EMPA General Meeting.

The EMPA General Meeting is one of the foremost events in the maritime-port calendar, bringing together marine pilots from across Europe to share expertise, address common challenges, and strengthen the cohesion of the profession.

Attracting the widest possible participation from European pilots remains a core objective, ensuring that the GM continues to serve as a benchmark event for the maritime and port community at large.

Further details regarding the venue and programme of the next EMPA General Meeting will be announced in due course through European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA) official channels.

07/06/2026

📘 EMPA Activity Report | April & May 2026

The past two months have been exceptionally active for the European Maritime Pilots' Association.

Across Europe, European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA)European Maritime Pilots'​ Association (EMPA) has continued to engage with institutions, member associations, industry stakeholders and maritime professionals, contributing to discussions on some of the most important challenges facing our sector: safety, sustainability, innovation, training, human capital and the future of pilotage.

From the 60th EMPA General Meeting in Ghent 🇧🇪 to national congresses and technical conferences in France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹, Turkey 🇹🇳 and Spain 🇪🇸, from participation in the European Maritime Skills Forum and the BPAC meeting, to discussions on pilotage, port operations, tug integration and green transition, EMPA has remained actively involved in promoting professional excellence and sharing best practices across the maritime community.

Particular attention has been dedicated to training, recruitment, knowledge exchange and the role of pilots in an increasingly digitalised maritime environment, reaffirming a principle that remains unchanged: technology can support operations, but safe navigation ultimately relies on competent professionals making sound decisions.

At the same time, EMPA has continued to support initiatives such as GREENPORT AlliancesGREENPORT Alliances, contributing to the discussion on sustainable port operations and the behavioural changes required to achieve meaningful progress towards decarbonisation.

Beyond meetings and conferences, May also offered an important opportunity to strengthen the human side of our profession. The 60th EMPA Football Tournament in Ålesund 🇳🇴 once again brought together colleagues from across Europe, demonstrating that cooperation, friendship and mutual trust remain at the heart of our community.

A sincere thank you to all member associations, partners, colleagues and friends who contributed to another busy and rewarding period for EMPA.

Together, we continue to navigate change while upholding the highest standards of safety, professionalism and service to society.

👉🔗 LINK IN FIRST COMMENT