Duties of the Board, as provided by the New York Navigation Law include, among other responsibilities, establishing rules and regulations regarding Pilot Apprenticeships, approval of applications for apprenticeships and the testing of Sandy Hook, Hudson River, and Long Island Sound Pilots for original licenses, extensions of route and annual renewals.
The qualifications for entrance into the State Pilot System are rigorous. Sandy Hook Apprentice Pilots initially work aboard the Pilot launches as well as the Pilot Station boats and are required to ride over 1,000 vessels entering and departing the Port of New York and New Jersey. Hudson River Pilots-in-Training are required to have a minimum 1,600 gross ton mate or a master's credential with first class Pilotage endorsements for the Hudson River. In the Long Island Sound, Pilot-in-Training are required to hold an unlimited master's credential with first class Pilotage endorsements for all ports in the Long Island Sound.
An annual Advanced Pilot Training Program ensures that New York State Pilots are among the best trained, equipped, and informed professionals in the Nation. New York State Pilots attend training at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies, Linthicum, MD, Maritime Pilots Institute, Covington, LA, Marine Safety Inc, Newport, RI, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Ship Simulator School, Buzzards Bay, MA, and Port Revel Ship Handling Training Center, Grenoble, France. The Advanced Pilot Training Program ensures that Pilots maintain high professional standards in the rapidly changing maritime industry. The training focuses on efficient use of equipment along with human and technical resources available on the bridge of a modern ship. This extensive training program, which is regularly reviewed and upgraded, provides continuing education seminars and other instruction addressing the following:
- Emergency ship handling
- Ship Pilot Ladder training program
- Bridge Resource Management
- Manned Model Training
- Extensive overviews of radar and electronic chart systems, satellite and Global Positioning Systems and Automatic Identification and auto pilot systems
- Selected case histories and studies of maritime accidents and casualties
- Master-Pilot Exchange (MPX) system and protocols
- Change of the Conn Policies and Procedures
- Human Factors in Marine Operations
- Fatigue, Sleep and Medications Program
