Bahamas Enforces Mandatory Maritime Pilotage Rule

The Bahamian government has begun enforcing a maritime pilotage law that requires all vessels entering the nation’s ports to use pilot services.

According to The Tribune 242, this includes cruise ships visiting private destinations, which will also be subject to the new enforcement. The measure, introduced earlier this month, is seen as a significant milestone for the Bahamas’ maritime sector, though it may add extra costs for cruise operators.

Captain Justin Wallace, president of Independent Maritime Services, told the paper the regulation is creating new employment opportunities.

“Beyond our team, the law has allowed us to hire a large number of employees, from pilots and trainees to pilot boat coxswains and deckhands,” he said. “It also affects a wide range of services, from fuel suppliers to marina operators and even airlines transporting staff between islands. The ripple effect of this milestone is significant for the entire maritime ecosystem.”

Currently, around 30 marine pilots are active across the Bahamas, most of them based in Freeport. The Tribune 242 noted that the new rules will open doors for apprentices, trainees, and other maritime professionals, helping expand both skills and capacity within the sector.

Speaking to Tribune Business, Captain Yuri Butler, vice president of Bahamas Elite Maritime Company (BEMCO), explained that the law has long existed but was not enforced previously due to a lack of qualified pilots to handle traffic levels.

“It was always on the books. It was always law. The reason it wasn’t enforced is that there weren’t enough qualified pilots at the time, and so the government allowed them to operate as they saw fit so as not to stop the flow of cruise ships into the country and take on that economic cost,” he said.

Butler added that stricter enforcement is set to benefit the wider economy: “It brings regulation to the industry … pilots are pretty much at the top of the maritime industry, so by increasing pilot jobs, it trickles down, and you need more boat captains and deckhands.”