FIPA Sets August 1st as Argentine Pilot Day at Its VI Gathering
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The Fundación Instituto del Practicaje Argentino (FIPA) held the VI National Pilots' Gathering in Buenos Aires, during which August 1st was established as Argentine Pilot Day and the Práctico Francisco Póliza award was presented for the first time. The distinction, in the Courage and Professional Skill category, went to the crew of the pilot boat «Cometa» for rescuing a captain who had fallen overboard.
A Gathering with International Reach
The gathering was held on October 27, 2026 at the headquarters of the Centro de Capitanes de Ultramar y Oficiales de la Marina Mercante, in Buenos Aires, sponsored by the Cámara de Actividades de Practicaje y Pilotaje and the Asociación Civil de Prácticos y Pilotos de la República Argentina. Pilots from all regions of the country, industry authorities and foreign specialists took part, with the opening and proceedings led by the Foundation's president, Captain Pablo Pineda.
Boarding Safety and Regulatory Models
Captain Miguel Vieira de Castro, president of the European Maritime Pilots' Association (EMPA), spoke about the European experience and, drawing on a fatal accident that occurred in Lisbon, reviewed the inspection of means of access to vessels, man-overboard recovery equipment, and the training of pilot boat crews. Meanwhile, Brazilian Captain Otavio Fragoso compared the evolution of the pilotage systems in Brazil and Argentina, analyzed how contracting and competition rules affect the distribution of work and safety, and warned that one country's experience cannot be automatically applied to another.
The Rescue Behind the First Award
The Práctico Francisco Póliza Award, by unanimous decision of the Jury chaired by Dr. Laura Caruso, honored Coxswain Daniel Aguilera, Chief Engineer Miguel Alarcón, and Able Seaman Gastón Lamas, crew members of the pilot boat «Cometa», for swiftly and skillfully rescuing Captain José Luis Regueiro, who fell overboard during the boarding maneuver onto the vessel «MSC Hortense», at anchor in the Zona Común, in the early morning hours of November 30, 2025. Honorable mentions for Navigation Safety were also awarded to captains, organizations, and to Senior Naval Engineer Fernando Morales, president of the Liga Naval Argentina.
Collective Recognition and Closing of the Event
The Gathering formally adopted August 1st as Argentine Pilot Day, in remembrance of the collective action taken by pilots throughout the country on that day in 2026 to safeguard navigation safety. The Foundation also presented an individual Letter of Recognition to the 520 pilots of Argentina, symbolically received by Captain Guido Lesca. The event also featured a special presentation by Brazilian sailor Beto Pandiani, who shared experiences from his ocean voyages.
