What We Do

The Houston Pilots Association provides pilotage services to all foreign flag vessels and American vessels under registry (regulated vessels) entering or departing the Port of Houston, Harris County, Texas, as required by Texas state law.

Pilotage is provided 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, in all weather and port conditions, unless closed for safety, for example, poor visibility, high winds, and storm warnings.

Our History

As far back as 592 BCE, humans have been transporting people and cargo by water. And for centuries, captains have relied on locals familiar with the ports’ currents and hazards to guide them safely to shore. While pilotage is one of the oldest naval professions, it remains one of the least known. Did you know that ships carry roughly 70% of the world's trade? Or that the Houston Ship Channel is one of the narrowest and busiest ports in the world?

The Houston Ship Channel was completed and opened to navigation on November 10, 1914. At that time, the water's depth was 25 feet from the Turning Basin to the Gulf of Mexico — a distance of 52 miles. Our history dates back to 1916, when L. Fred Allien and J. William Laughton received gubernatorial appointments as pilots for the Port of Houston and Galveston Bar.

Today, the Houston Ship Channel is home to the largest petrochemical complex in the United States and the largest container port in the Gulf of Mexico. Houston ranks first in U.S. exports and first in U.S. foreign tonnage. With dedicated barge lanes and a two-way traffic system to prevent the shutdowns faced by one-way ports, the Houston Pilots safely guide more than 8,200 vessels through the 40 feet deep and 530 feet wide dredged channel annually.

Piloting ships in and out of the Houston Ship Channel is a complex job. Vessel cargoes range from chemicals to containers to automobiles and everything in between. However, the Houston Pilots don't protect just ships from the channel's dangers. They also protect our people, environment, and economy.

Our Fleet

Prevailing sea and weather conditions in the Gulf of Mexico are typically benign; however, tropical disturbances and hurricanes in the summer months, and violent cold front passages and thunderstorms in the winter months can pack winds in excess of 75 knots or build seas with waves measuring 20 feet and above. Because of the location of the boarding station and the volume of shipping traffic, the Houston Pilots long ago adopted a two-boat system of boarding, consisting of a relatively fast dispatch boat that ferries pilots and boat crews back and forth from a "bar" boat.

DISPATCH BOATS

The dispatch boats transport pilots to and from their vessel assignments within the Houston Ship Channel. There are two boats that operate 24/7 — the Yellow Rose and the San Jacinto. These vessels are designed for speed and reliability and are capable of safely navigating rough sea conditions.

BAR BOATS

The bar boats remain stationed offshore 24/7 and provide sleeping accommodation, restrooms with showers, and onboard messing facilities for pilots between assignments. They also serve as boarding platforms for embarking and disembarking pilots to and from deep-draft vessels.

The Houston Pilots operate two bar boats — the Bayou City and Houston. These SWATH vessels feature a twin-hull design that minimizes hull cross section at the water’s surface. By concentrating displacement below the surface in two cylindrical hull forms, where wave energy is less impactful, the vessels maintain exceptional stability even in rough weather. This design reduces vertical acceleration and provides broad open decks suitable for accommodation and operations.

Our Leadership

While being a skilled ship pilot is the primary role of a Houston Pilot, during the course of our career, we will serve in leadership roles as part of the Executive Committee as well as participate in committees to help manage our business and ensure we have the highest safety standards.