The Purpose of Pilots

“A state-licensed, compulsory pilot is charged by the licensing authority with the duty to care for the safety of the vessel, its cargo and crew and, equally important, with a public responsibility to move the ship from point to point consistent with federal and state laws and port regulations in a manner that minimizes risk of collision, oil spill, and environmental damage.
Public policy requires the pilot, as a citizen subject to control and laws of the host state, to protect the public’s interest as well as to provide shiphandling and pilotage services to the ship. This responsibility is clearly established by law and precedent and it is inherent in the state pilotage system. This aspect of the pilot’s role has been reinforced in an era when ships are susceptible to external threats and use as a weapon in modern terrorist-based warfare.
The pilot must be able to fulfill that responsibility by exercising his or her final authority to control ship movement in pilot waters.”

Shiphandling for the Mariner, página 69