A Note from President Capt. John Carlier
Welcome back to the San Francisco Bar Pilots newsletter! Despite U.S. tariffs and a USTR fee ensnaring international trade and increasing the volatility of the global supply chain, the Bar Pilots, alongside our port partners, have been hard at work – covering 160 miles of pilotage routes, 1,000 miles of shoreline, and over 200 docks and maritime facilities – ensuring that the Bay Area’s ports, as well as the Ports of Stockton and West Sacramento, continue to serve all calling vessels with maximum efficiency and navigational safety.
In compliance with regulations set by the California Air Resources Board, SFBP continues the work of its Station Boat Build Project, seeking to replace the organization’s existing pilot vessels with newer and more fuel-efficient station boats. A Request for Proposals (RFP) has been distributed among shipyards throughout the country, and the Bar Pilots anticipate making a final decision on proposals in Q1 of 2026. The tightly compressed timeline to design, fund, and build new station boats has made this process a challenging one, but the Bar Pilots are committed to fulfilling our mission of growing California’s economy and protecting the environment.
As I mentioned previously, 2025 is a very special year for our organization, as it marks 175 years of service to the San Francisco waterfront and the greater Bay Area. We will be featuring a ‘Then and Now’ social media series contrasting historical features of SFBP with their contemporary alternatives, and the first post can be found on our Instagram here. Stay tuned for more updates on our anniversary celebrations, including our annual Holiday Open House on December 11th! On behalf of all of the San Francisco Bar Pilots, we are looking forward to the next 175!
Turning Basins Expansion Moves Forward at Port of Oakland
In July, the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners unanimously greenlighted the Oakland Harbor Turning Basins Widening Project through certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and approval of the advancement of the project. The existing channel and turning basins were designed for Panamax-era container vessels, which, while state-of-the-art 25 years ago when the basins were last expanded, have a carrying capacity roughly one-third of today’s ultra-large container vessels.
The expansion of the turning basins will not only keep the Port of Oakland competitive and efficient as the length and cargo capacities of ships continue to increase, but will ensure the operational safety of the Bar Pilots’ task of turning the ships around with more flexible timing and weather accommodations. The Bar Pilots will now work with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Port of Oakland to drill down on the technical parameters of the basins, including participating in simulations to ensure that the design of the basins is as functional as possible. Click below to learn more about the Turning Basins Widening Project.
Supervisor Danny Sauter Visits Pier 9
Supervisor Danny Sauter, elected in Fall 2024 to represent San Francisco’s District 3 on the Board of Supervisors, joined Bar Pilot leadership earlier this summer to learn more about the Bar Pilots’ operations and our place in the Supervisor’s district at Pier 9. The Bar Pilots enjoyed getting to know Supervisor Sauter and his staff, and we are appreciative of his efforts to improve safety and bolster local businesses in District 3. We look forward to working closely with the Supervisor throughout his time on the Board.
Bar Pilots in the News
Over the last several months, the Bar Pilots have been featured on the covers of Professional Mariner and the San Francisco Examiner, offering a glimpse into the organization and the vessels required to efficiently move pilots between jobs.
Below are links to three recent stories on SFBP – please note that the Professional Mariner stories are behind a paywall, but an account is free of charge.
San Franicsco Examiner: San Francisco’s most elite pilots don’t fly planes
Professional Mariner: Working on San Francisco Bay with the Bar Pilots
Professional Mariner: Golden Gate gives pilots comfort, safety and clean-burning fuel efficiency
Outreach
The Bar Pilots have continued conducting outreach to youth groups and schools as well as partner organizations, looking to educate youth in the Bay Area on the adventure and excitement of a career as a Bar Pilot and demonstrating to our partners how the supply chain flows between groups. In recent weeks, the Bar Pilots hosted groups from the Stockton Sea Scouts and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 Young Workers Committee and continue to educate the public on the importance of the pilots’ work.
Capt. Will Benedict & Capt. Roy Mathur Join BOPC
Capt. Will Benedict has been appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun, having served as a San Francisco Bar Pilot since 2019. A graduate of St Mary’s College, Capt. Benedict worked with America’s Cup and served as a tugboat captain for AMNav Maritime Services prior to becoming a pilot.
Capt. Roy Mathur has also been appointed to the BOPC, serving as the Wet Cargo Industry member of the Board. Capt. Mathur has been captain and wharf master for PBF Energy – Martinez Refining Company since 2015. He also served as an Oil Spill Specialist for the Office of Spill Prevention and Response for 11 years. Please join us in welcoming the two newest members of the Board!
With the appointments of these two Board members, all positions of the Board have been filled, and we would like to express our appreciation to Governor Newsom for his appointments and ensuring that the Board is comprised of passionate, hard-working individuals overseeing pilotage in the Bay Area.
