Already, 46 Columbia River Bar pilots go through years of training before navigating $50 billion worth of cargo through the Columbia River annually.
Those pilots take over navigation of ships after Columbia River Bar pilots pilot the ships into and out of the river from the Pacific Ocean.
Many Columbia River pilots operate a tugboat for years before training to become a pilot, Nielsen said.
“Our training program is 2.5 years long,” Nielsen said. “It’s very intensive — and after that, we have continued education.”
Pilots then go through simulations of emergency events to prepare for worst-case scenarios, Nielsen explained.
When navigating boats underneath bridges, Nielsen said pilots are in communication with bridge operators. They can also call on tugboats or the Coast Guard for help. Pilots also communicate with each other throughout the day, alerting one another of potential dangers along the Columbia, Nielsen said.
“To be a pilot on this river, you have many, many years of experience,” Nielsen said.