Pilotage is an activity based on knowledge of the accidents and characteristic points of the area where it is developed. It is carried out in stretches of the coast, in bays, ports, estuaries of rivers, lakes, terminals and channels where there is traffic of ships. The main reason for the existence of this service is to provide greater efficiency and safety to the navigation and to guarantee the protection of the society and preservation of the environment.

Marine Pilots are the professionals who carry out this work. They have great experience and technical knowledge of navigation and maneuvering of ships, as well as local peculiarities.

This function is carried out on board ships to which the pilots are driven by means of boats which have special standards for safe transshipment of the Pilotage.

CONAPRA (National Council of Pilotage) is a non-profit professional association that brings together the Brazilian Marine Pilots, with the purpose of representing them together with all Government Authorities and entities representing sectors of the marine environment in matters related to practicing.

Through the Delegation of Competence of the Offshore and Coastal Offices Board (DPC) (Ordinance 0072 of 12/3/1998), CONAPRA was entrusted with the inspection and expert reports necessary for the homologation of craft boats, to promote homologation of the operational qualification of its crews and the homologation of the Atalaias. The entity is recognized by the Maritime Authority (Ordinance 0031 of 04/24/2000) as the National Representation Agency of Praticagem, with specific tasks foreseen in Normam-12 (Norm of the Maritime Authority for the Pilotage Service) and in DPC Ordinances.

In the international field, CONAPRA is an IMPA associate, International Maritime Pilots’ Association, one of the Vice-Presidencies of this international association.

Check out Official Institutional Video of Brazilian Pilotage