Pilot Boarding Areas

Pilot boarding areas are locations at sea where pilots familiar with local waters board incoming vessels to navigate their passage to a destination port. Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register in foreign trade with specific draft characteristics. Individual ports may have additional pilotage regulations (see the applicable United States Coast Pilot for additional information). This dataset is one of two related feature classes which should be used in tandem. The sister dataset, of point geometry, is titled Pilot Boarding Stations. It represents point locations depicted on NOAA navigational charts or described in United States Coastal Pilots where pilots rendezvous with ships. In contrast, Pilot Boarding Areas are more general vicinities depicted on NOAA navigational charts. Pilots can rendezvous with ships anywhere within a Pilot Boarding Area.This dataset does not contain information regarding the hazards and considerations necessary to approach each port.