Pilotage

All ships, Icelandic and foreign, longer than 60 metres are subject to pilotage, with the exception of those ships where the captain has fulfilled certain conditions for sailing without a pilot.

Faxaflóahafnir sf. guidelines regarding exemptions from pilotage service.

In the regulation on Faxaflóahafnir sf. no. 798/2009, it is stated in paragraph 5, Article 6: “The Port Director, having received due comment from the Harbour Master, may grant the captain of a ship for which pilotage is compulsory in accordance with this Article an exemption from having a harbour pilot on board.  A prerequisite for this exemption is assessment of the Harbour Master as regards the competence of the captain to navigate in the harbour area of Faxaflóahafnir sf. The exemption only applies to navigation in the port area or areas that the person in question has regularly visited. Should the captain not have been actively engaged as a captain of a vessel for two years, the exemption is no longer in effect.  The Harbour Master’s refusal of an exemption may be submitted by the applicant to the Harbour Board of Directors. To further define the conditions for an exemption from taking a harbour pilot on board, the following procedures apply:

1. A prerequisite is that the captain has captained the vessel in question, or a comparable one, regularly in the harbour area in question over the  last 3 years and has over the past year entered the relevant port area to which the exemption applies at least 8 times. A prerequisite for granting the exemption is that there have not been any irregularities during arrival or departure pursuant to item 1.
2. The exemption applies only to the harbour areas to which the captain has regularly visited according to item 1.
3. The exemption is to be issued to a specific captain and a specific vessel or type of vessel. The controls of the vessel must be satisfactory in the opinion of the Harbour Master.
4. Irrespective of the exemption from taking a harbour pilot on board, the captain must maintain good radio contact with the pilots of Faxaflóahafnir sf. and fully comply with their instructions. In the event of a failure to do so, the exemption may be cancelled according to these rules, without notice.
5. Exemptions from having a harbour pilot on board may be granted to former harbour pilots of Faxaflóahafnir sf. provided that the captain and vessel in question fulfil the requirements made for such an exemption.
6. If a captain has not held a position as captain for two years, the exemption pursuant to these rules of procedure will be terminated without specific notice.
7. The Port Director may, under special circumstances, grant an exemption from taking a harbour pilot on board.
8. Requests for an exemption from taking a harbour pilot on board must be sent in writing to the Port Director. In the event that the exemption is granted, it shall remain in effect for one year. In addition, the Port Director may, if there are objective reasons for doing so, cancel an exemption from having a harbour pilot on board, without specific notice.
9. In difficult conditions due to weather or sea state, the Harbour Master may decide that despite the exemption from taking a harbour pilot on board, the captain must take a harbour pilot on board.
10. If a captain needs the assistance of a tug boat, he is under obligation to take a harbour pilot on board.
11. Should the Port Director decline to grant an exemption, the applicant may refer this to the Harbour Board of Directors.

Reykjavík, 12. september 2013
Gísli Gíslason, Port Director