A Note from President Capt. John Carlier
Welcome back to the San Francisco Bar Pilots newsletter! On behalf of all of the pilots, crew, and staff at SFBP, we hope everyone is enjoying the new year. 2025 was a significant milestone for the Bar Pilots, celebrating 175 years of service to the San Francisco Bay while keeping the flow of ships and cargo moving smoothly. Throughout last year, the organization was honored by several San Francisco institutions for the milestone, and it was a pleasure seeing SFBP receive recognition for the hard work put in by scores of pilots throughout the years.
While there was cause for much celebration, I also want to note that from a business perspective, 2025 was similar to 2024 numbers-wise but fraught with more uncertainty around trade volatility and the overall regulatory landscape. Tonnage was down 1.7% compared to the previous year and down 5% from pre-pandemic levels, with total ship moves also down 3.9% year-over-year. Overall, the emerging trend is fewer, larger ships traveling from Asia to the Bay Area, and we expect that trend to remain as ships continue to be built bigger and bigger.
Looking ahead to 2026, the San Francisco Bar Pilots are looking forward to a productive year, with a particular focus on a California Air Resources Board (CARB) extension on our station boats as the organization continues to balance a rigorous regulatory landscape with the realities of constructing and funding new, state-of-the-art vessels. Continue reading below to hear all about the last few months at Pier 9!
YouTube Creator Spotlights SFBP
The Bar Pilots recently teamed up with Sam Eckholm, a popular YouTube creator with a nearly 1.5M user subscriber base, on the video below on SFBP’s operations and the nature of pilotage in such treacherous waters. The video has garnered more than 1M views on YouTube and will ideally serve as an effective recruiting tool for the next generation of pilots. This effort is the result of months of planning from SFBP’s end to ensure that the film team could capture content without facing the adverse weather conditions that the Bar Pilots typically see a large portion of the year. Check out the link below!
Bar Pilots Honored by Board of Supervisors & SFMNPA
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.
Later in the fall, the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association hosted their annual Maritime Ball at Pier 27’s James R. Herman Cruise Terminal, celebrating the City’s rich maritime legacy and the individuals who shape it. SFBP was honored to be this year’s award recipient in commemoration for 175 years of service to the San Francisco Bay, and look forward to continuing our close partnership with the SFMNPA to preserve San Francisco’s maritime history and continue educating the public on the City’s waterfront.
Asm. Catherine Stefani Visits Pier 9
Assemblymember Catherine Stefani is no stranger to the San Francisco Bay following her more than six years on the Board of Supervisors, but her first visit to Pier 9 showed off a different side of the waterfront that folks are typically used to. The Bar Pilots are appreciative of Asm. Stefani joining us and learning more about the complexities of the organization – and even braving the pilot ladder!
Bar Pilots Continue Outreach to Local Community
Students from Cal Poly Maritime headed across the Bay in late November for a discussion with several San Francisco Bar Pilots and a tour of the facility. All members of the upperclassmen-only Navigation Piloting class, the students relished the opportunity to pick the brains of several accomplished veteran pilots while at Pier 9. Over the years, scores of former cadets have made their way into SFBP’s ranks and the two groups will continue their strong partnership for years to come.
Over the last several years, SFBP has hosted a number of Sea Scout crews from around the Bay Area to learn more about and see firsthand the excitement of being a San Francisco Bar Pilot, with the most recent group touring Pier 9 in December. Capt. Jesse Pullin is instrumental in outreach efforts to local maritime groups, providing a fun and engaging overview of pilotage that encourages young sailors to continue their time on the water.
SFBP in the News
Continuing the run of positive news stories on the Bar Pilots this year, SFGate reporter Liam O’Donoghue recently joined Capt. Jubal Hirschfeld on the job to cover a day in the life of a pilot. You can read more at the link below!
SFGate: The hidden captains keeping San Francisco Bay safe for 175 years
Holiday Party Brings Community Together, Provides Bikes
The Bar Pilots capped off 2025 with hosting yet another successful Holiday Open House at Pier 9, bringing the Bay Area maritime community together to celebrate the year on the waterfront and collect toys (and over 100 bicycles!) for the annual San Francisco Fire Department Toy Drive! The Bar Pilots are grateful to enjoy strong partnerships with so many of the businesses, elected officials, and individuals we work with every day, and the organization looks forward to yet another year of service to the San Francisco Bay in 2026.
