856-015-0035 Pilot Licensing Requirements - Columbia & Willamette River Pilotage Ground - Grade "B", Grade "A" and Unlimited Licenses (1) A Grade "B" License issued by the Board authorizes the holder to pilot vessels on the Columbia & Willamette River pilotage ground up to 701 feet L.O.A., except a Grade "B" pilot shall not pilot tankers or vessels with a draft of 38 feet or greater. (2) To qualify for a Grade "B" license, an applicant must meet the following requirements: (a) Hold an active Grade "C" license and complete at least 180 days service on the Columbia & Willamette River pilotage ground while holding a Grade “C” license. (b) Complete at least 30 trips, of which at least 20 are transits, on the pilotage ground piloting ships of between 300 and 600 feet L.O.A. (c) Complete at least 25 transits on ships 600 feet L.O.A. or greater under the supervision of a minimum of ten (10) different pilots, at least six (6) of whom have held unlimited state licenses for at least five (5) years. (d) Complete at least five (5) trips in either direction between Astoria and either Longview or Kalama on ships 600 feet L.O.A. or greater under the supervision of an unlimited state-licensed pilot. (e) Make at least six (6) trips under the supervision of unlimited state-licensed pilots while on the bridge of ships not less than 500 feet L.O.A., with at least three (3) trips in each of the following directions: (A) From the Willamette River, turning east (upstream) into the Columbia River; and (B) From the Columbia River upstream of the mouth of the Willamette River, turning south into the Willamette River. (f) Complete at least two (2) trips from dock to dock or anchor to dock while on ships not less than 600 feet L.O.A. while under the supervision of an unlimited state-licensed pilot, with each such trip requiring a 180 degree turn before docking. (g) Present recommendations from the training course monitor and from at least ten (10) pilots holding unlimited state licenses who participated in the training, certifying that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and shiphandling skills to pilot vessels from and including 600 feet L.O.A. up to 701 feet L.O.A. (h) The requirements specified in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section must have been met during the 180 days preceding application for a Grade "B" license. At the request of the Training Course Monitor and for good cause, the training period may be extended by the Board up to 365 days. (i) When the foregoing requirements are met, the Board shall issue a license to the applicant authorizing the applicant to pilot vessels which are up to 701 feet L.O.A., except that the applicant shall not pilot tankers or vessels with a draft of 38 feet or greater, on the pilotage ground. (3) A Grade "A" pilot license issued by the Board authorizes the holder to pilot vessels on the Columbia & Willamette River pilotage ground up to 801 feet L.O.A., except a Grade "A" pilot shall not pilot tankers or vessels with a draft of 40 feet or greater. (4) To qualify for a Grade "A" license, an applicant must meet the following requirements: (a) Hold an active Grade "B" license and complete at least 270 days service on the Columbia & Willamette River pilotage ground while holding a Grade “B” license. (b) Complete at least 40 transits piloting ships of between 300 and 700 feet L.O.A. as a state-licensed pilot. (c) Complete at least 20 transits on ships 700 feet L.O.A. or greater while under the supervision of at least ten (10) unlimited state-licensed pilots. (d) Train at least five (5) additional days as directed by the training course monitor, with assignments chosen at the discretion of the training course monitor. (e) Present recommendations from the training course monitor and from at least ten (10) unlimited pilots who participated in the training, certifying that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and shiphandling skills to pilot vessels from and including 700 feet L.O.A. up to 801 feet L.O.A. on the pilotage ground. (f) The requirements specified in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this section must have been met during the 270 days preceding application for a Grade "A" license. (g) When the foregoing requirements are met, the Board shall issue a license to the applicant authorizing the applicant to pilot vessels which are up to 801 feet L.O.A., except that the applicant shall not pilot tankers or vessels with a draft of 40 feet or greater, on the pilotage ground. (5) An Unlimited license authorizes the holder to pilot any vessels on the Columbia & Willamette River pilotage ground. (6) To qualify for an Unlimited license an applicant must meet the following requirements: (a) Hold an active Grade "A" license in good standing and complete at least 180 days service on the pilotage ground while holding a Grade “A” license. (b) Complete at least 30 transits on ships of between 300 and 800 feet L.O.A. during the 180 days preceding application for an Unlimited license. (c) Train at least ten (10) additional days as directed by the training course monitor, with assignments chosen at the discretion of the training course monitor. (d) While holding a Grade “B” or Grade “A” license, complete at least ten (10) transits on ships greater than 800 feet L.O.A., or if directed by the training course monitor, on ships greater than 700 feet L.O.A. with drafts of 40 feet or greater. The transits completed under this section must be under the supervision of a least ten (10) different unlimited pilots, five (5) of whom have not less than five (5) years’ experience as unlimited state-licensed pilots. (e) Present recommendations from the training course monitor and from at least ten (10) unlimited pilots who participated in training, certifying that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and shiphandling skills to pilot vessels 800 feet L.O.A. or greater on the pilotage ground. (f) While holding a Grade “B” or Grade “A” license, complete at least twelve (12) transits on tankers (including at least nine (9) transits on loaded tankers) while under the supervision of at least six (6) different state-licensed pilots with not less than five (5) years’ experience as unlimited state-licensed pilots. (g) Present recommendations from the training course monitor and from at least six (6) pilots who participated in training on tankers, certifying that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and shiphandling skills to pilot tankers on the pilotage ground and understands the risks and hazards peculiar to piloting tankers on the pilotage ground. (h) While holding a Grade “B” or a Grade “A” license, complete at least twelve (12) transits on ships with drafts of 40 feet or greater while under the supervision of at least six (6) different state-licensed pilots with not less than five (5) years’ experience as unlimited state-licensed pilots. (i) While holding a Grade “B” or Grade “A” license, make at least four (4) trips under the supervision of unlimited state-licensed pilots while on the bridge of a ship 700 feet L.O.A. or greater, or if directed by the training course monitor, on the bridge of a ship 600 feet L.O.A. or greater with a draft of 40 feet or more, with such trips in each of the following directions: (A) At least three (3) trips from the Willamette River, turning east (upstream) into the Columbia River; and (B) At least one (1) trip from the Columbia River upstream of the mouth of the Willamette River, turning south (upstream) into the Willamette River. (j) While holding a Grade "B" or Grade "A" license, complete two (2) trips from dock to dock or from an anchorage to a dock under the supervision of unlimited state-licensed pilots while on ships 700 feet L.O.A. or greater, with each trip including a 180 degree turn before docking. (k) Present recommendations from the training course monitor and from at least six (6) unlimited pilots who participated in training on vessels with drafts 40 feet or greater, certifying that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and shiphandling skills to pilot vessels with drafts 40 feet or greater. (l) Provide proof of completion of a United States Coast Guard approved course in automatic radar plotting aids (ARPA). (m) Submit a license fee as specified by OAR 856-015-0045, which may be pro-rated, in order to synchronize the annual license renewal with the renewal of an Unlimited license. (n) When the foregoing requirements are met, the Board shall issue an Unlimited license to the applicant authorizing the applicant to pilot vessels of any length and draft, including tankers, on the pilotage ground. (7) Each grade of license will be valid for one (1) year, except that, upon request of the training course monitor, the duration of a Grade “C”, “B” or “A” license may be extended by the Board for an additional period equal to the time that a trainee is absent from the pilotage ground due to medical disability. No license except an Unlimited license may be renewed. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 776 & ORS 670 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 776.115 & ORS 670.310 History: BMP 14-2025, amend filed 09/30/2025, effective 09/30/2025 BMP 10-2025, amend filed 05/12/2025, effective 05/12/2025 BMP 2-2024, amend filed 01/23/2024, effective 01/23/2024 BMP 11-2023, amend filed 12/12/2023, effective 12/12/2023 BMP 10-2023, temporary amend filed 11/17/2023, effective 11/17/2023 through 05/14/2024 BMP 8-2023, amend filed 09/07/2023, effective 09/07/2023 BMP 2-2023, temporary amend filed 01/20/2023, effective 01/20/2023 through 07/18/2023 BMP 1-2022, amend filed 05/13/2022, effective 05/13/2022 BMP 3-2018, renumbered from 856-010-0012, filed 04/25/2018, effective 04/25/2018 BMP 2-2016, f. & cert. ef. 2-10-16 BMP 1-2016, f. & cert. ef. 1-25-16 BMP 2-2015, f. & cert. ef. 6-1-15 BMP 4-2014, f. & cert. ef. 11-26-14 Reverted to BMP 5-2011, f. 6-28-11, cert. ef. 6-29-11 BMP 2-2014(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 5-23-14 thru 11-19-14 BMP 5-2011, f. 6-28-11, cert. ef. 6-29-11 BMP 4-2008, f. & cert. ef. 1-24-08 BMP 1-2007, f. 1-25-07, cert. ef. 1-26-07 BMP 1-2005, f. & cert. ef. 11-29-05 BMP 3-2001, f. & cert. ef. 10-30-01 MP 1-1992, f. & cert. ef. 4-29-92 MP 3-1988, f. & cert. ef. 11-9-88 MP 2-1985, f. & ef. 6-7-85