Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 These Provisions are formulated in order to regulate the pilotage activities of ships, safeguard national sovereignty, ensure the safety of life and property on water, and meet the needs of water transportation and port production. Article 2 These Provisions shall apply to the pilotage of ships in the coastal areas, inland rivers and ports of People's Republic of China (PRC). Article 3 The meanings of the following terms in these Provisions are:

(1) Pilotage refers to the activities of guiding ships to sail, berth, leave berth and shift berth (hereinafter referred to as pilotage);

(2) Pilotage area refers to the area designated for pilotage in the coastal areas, inland rivers and ports of People's Republic of China (PRC);

(3) Pilotage institutions refer to legal persons who provide pilotage services professionally;

(4) Pilot refers to a person who holds a valid pilot qualification certificate and is engaged in pilotage work in a pilotage institution;

(5) Ship refers to any ship, dinghy, raft and mobile offshore platform sailing or moving on the surface, near the surface and underwater, including domestic and foreign merchant ships, military ships, official ships, engineering ships and fishing boats. Article 4 The Ministry of Communications shall be in charge of pilotage throughout the country.

The port administrative department of the local people's government at or above the municipal level with districts (cities with districts, the same below) shall be responsible for the pilotage management in their respective administrative areas. The Yangtze River Waterway Administration established by the Ministry of Communications is responsible for the pilotage management of the Yangtze River trunk line.

The maritime administrative agency shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of pilotage safety. Article 5 The responsibilities of the Ministry of Communications in pilotage management are:

(1) To formulate national pilotage policies and regulations and supervise their implementation;

(two) responsible for the delineation, adjustment and publication of the pilot area;

(3) To be responsible for approving the establishment of pilotage institutions;

(four) in conjunction with the relevant departments to formulate pilotage charging standards and management regulations, and supervise the implementation;

(five) responsible for the management and guidance of pilotage business;

(six) responsible for the management of driver training, examination and certification. Article 6 The pilotage management responsibilities of the port authorities of local people's governments at or above the municipal level are:

(a) to implement the laws, regulations, rules and policies related to pilotage;

(two) responsible for the preparation of pilotage institutions;

(three) responsible for the supervision and management of pilotage charges;

(four) responsible for the supervision and coordination of pilotage. Article 7 The duties of pilotage management of maritime administrative agencies are:

(a) to implement the laws, regulations, rules and policies related to pilotage;

(two) responsible for the implementation of safety supervision and management of pilotage;

(3) Organizing the training, examination and certification of pilots. Article 8 The State encourages the adoption of advanced technologies and scientific methods to improve the scientific and technological level of pilotage, encourages the research, development and popularization of new pilotage technologies, and improves the safety level and work efficiency of pilotage. Article 9 The following vessels shall apply for pilotage when sailing, berthing, berthing or shifting in the pilot area of People's Republic of China (PRC) (except for the parallel movement between two adjacent berths along the coast) and the berthing points and loading and unloading stations outside the pilot area:

(1) Ships of foreign nationality;

(2) In order to ensure the safety of ship navigation and port facilities, the maritime administrative agency shall, jointly with the port administrative department of the municipal local people's government, report to the Ministry of Communications for approval and release of China-registered ships that should apply for pilotage;

(3) Other ships of China nationality that should apply for pilotage according to laws and administrative regulations.

Ships other than those specified in the preceding paragraph of this article may apply for pilotage when sailing, berthing, leaving or shifting berths inside and outside the pilotage area. Chapter II Pilotage Institutions Article 10 Pilotage institutions shall be established according to the following principles:

(1) Providing pilotage service for foreign ships and China ships that must apply for pilotage, meeting the needs of pilotage for more than 600 times a year, or failing to set up pilotage institutions in the pilotage area;

(2) There are more than three pilots with valid pilot competency certificates in the pilot area. Article 11 The establishment scheme and specific pilotage scope of pilotage institutions shall be applied by the port administrative department of the local people's government at the municipal level with districts according to the needs of pilotage business development, and shall be reviewed by the port administrative department of the local people's government at the provincial level (except municipalities directly under the Central Government) and submitted to the Ministry of Communications for approval. Twelfth pilot institutions are mainly responsible for:

(1) To be responsible for formulating pilotage regulations and management systems;

(2) Formulating pilotage scheme and pilotage dispatching plan;

(3) Accepting pilotage applications and providing pilotage services;

(four) to be responsible for the collection and financial management of pilotage fees;

(five) responsible for the daily management of pilot employment, training, promotion, rewards and punishments;

(six) to participate in the research work of engineering projects involving pilotage, such as ports and waterways;

(seven) responsible for pilotage information statistics in accordance with state regulations. Article 13 The person in charge of a pilotage institution shall be selected from among pilots with rich pilotage experience and good management ability. Article 14 Pilotage institutions shall continuously improve the quality and level of pilotage services and take effective preventive measures against pilotage safety hazards in a timely manner. Chapter III Pilots Article 15 Pilots must hold a valid pilot certificate.

Pilots shall provide pilotage services in accordance with relevant regulations and obey the arrangement and management of pilotage institutions. Article 16 A person who meets the following conditions may apply for a driver's competency certificate:

(1) Having China nationality;

(two) at least 20 years of age but under 60 years of age;

(3) Being in good health;

(4) Having a junior college degree or above in navigation or ship driving, and having completed the required professional training.

(5) There is no record of major traffic accidents of ships, and there is no record of serious violation of the management of ships and crew.