Finland to allow remote pilotage in selected areas

Remote pilotage will be allowed in those public channels in Finnish waters and in the Saimaa Canal lease area that have been marked as routes requiring pilotage, the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a statement.

The Pilotage Act has been amended to allow pilots to perform their duties somewhere else than onboard vessels. The authorisation will be granted for a maximum of five years and can be renewed if necessary.

The country’s president approved the bill on Friday, January 18. The act is expected to enter into force on February 1, 2019.