VIDEO: Port marine pilot lauded for steering car carrier in rough seas

The cyclonic weather conditions which battered the Durban beachfront earlier last  week did not stop the Port of Durban’s marine pilot Rainer Rauntenberg from safely steering an automotive vessel into the port on Sunday, 12 March.

Rauntenberg has been lauded for his calm under fire, as his ingenuity in successfully steering the vessel under adverse weather conditions believed to be caused by a tropical cyclone Enawo, which struck Madagascar last week, was showcased in a video that went viral and drew masses of comments on social media.

Rauntenberg has been a marine pilot for more than 14 years.

As a result of the rough weather conditions, the Port of Durban had to deploy three tugs to steer in the vessel. In normal weather conditions, one to two tugs are used.

Port of Durban harbour master, Alex Miya said: “The pilot’s bravery to safely bring in a vessel in high wind conditions and large ocean swells proves that the Port of Durban is always ready to service its customers and will not let adverse weather conditions delay vessel turnaround time, while adhering to maritime safety precautions.”

The excessively high wind speed on Sunday – recorded between 30 to 40 knots – can create difficulty in manoeuvering vessels.

“It was challenging to bring in a vessel in such rough weather conditions but my focus was to make sure that it was safely berthed,” said Rauntenberg who has worked for the Port of Durban for seven years.

The dramatic video of the car carrier entering the Port of Durban made its rounds on social media and received 14,500 shares and 547,000 views.

TNPA has also uploaded the video to its YouTube channel. Watch the video here: