O2X recently finished a workshop with the Crescent River Port Pilots Association providing two, single-day seminars for more than 60 members. If you’re not familiar with this organization or the term river, harbor, or maritime pilot, these are highly skilled sailors who maneuver large vessels through congested or dangerous waters – bringing the ships into or out of waterways and river mouths in support of a relentless shipping schedule.
Ship captains typically handle the job of navigating vessels. However, when circumstances are deemed too risky or require special skills for maneuvering the ship, a pilot acts as the local expert for steering the ship while entering or leaving a port. In most situations, maritime pilots take command of the controls for docking or guiding the boat to open waters.
Often requiring extensive maritime education and several certifications, this is a high-risk career that’s not for everyone. These pilots follow a ruthless shipping schedule of cargo ships entering and exiting ports, delivering the vessels no matter the weather conditions.
During the workshop sessions, participants learned about nutrition, sleep, stress management, and resilience. River pilots also received specific instruction on fatigue and energy management. The O2X team of Specialists on-site included U.S. Special Operations veterans, mental performance experts, nutritionists, as well as sleep scientists – all dedicated to helping these tactical athletes elevate on the job performance.
Crescent River Port Pilots are the leading U.S. Southern Regional Pilots and Louisiana ranks first in the U.S. for waterborne traffic, including transporting more than a million passengers on cruise ships and a half-trillion dollars in cargo in and out of the Mississippi River. O2X is proud to support this team in their difficult mission.
To learn more about CRPPA, click HERE.
