Supporting California's Supply Chains

Every year Board-licensed pilots move cargo valued at more than $25 billion.

Safeguarding California’s Natural Resources

Pilot regulation and training safeguards lives, vessels, and the environment, ensuring every journey is safe and secure.

Innovating for a Greener California

Equipped with the latest marine engine technology, the P/V Golden Gate is the first in a new generation of pilot boats that will meet California’s emission standards.

Supporting California’s economy and safeguarding its natural resources

 

Since its founding in 1850, the Board of Pilot Commissioners (BOPC) for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun has supported California’s economy and safeguarded thousands of miles of coastline through its licensing, training, and regulatory activities.

Each year, BOPC-licensed pilots safely guide ships carrying thousands of passengers and billions of dollars of cargo through some of the most challenging waterways in North America.

As the BOPC approaches its bicentennial, it continues to shape California’s future with industry-leading standards, highlighted by the development of new pilot boats that meet the nation’s strictest harbor craft emission requirements.

 SERVING THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA SINCE 1850

A cargo ship is framed by the dawn light.
A docked container ship is framed by a rainbow.

2024 Board Meeting Calendar

Updated: September 27, 2024

The Board’s 2024 Meeting Calendar is also available for download as a PDF.

2024 Board Meeting Calendar
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 (UPDATED)
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Thursday, October 24, 2024 (MEETING CANCELED)
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Thursday, December 12, 2024

Who are the San Francisco Bar Pilots?

Watch this immersive video to learn more about the daily operations and responsibilities of the San Francisco Bar Pilots.

The Secret Life of Pilots

Discover the crucial yet often overlooked role of maritime pilots in the global supply chain, their historical significance, and the dangers they encounter on a daily basis.

Five Things You Didn't Know about the San Francisco Bar Pilots

Despite their essential contributions to California’s economy and marine safety, maritime pilots remain largely unknown. Learn more about the vital work of San Francisco Bar Pilots.

Our History

Thomas Almond Ayres’ painting The Pilot Boat off the Golden Gate (c. 1855) captures a significant moment in California history and the history of the Board of Pilot Commissioners (BOPC).

Painted near the end of the Gold Rush, just five years after the BOPC was founded, the artwork beautifully illustrates the variety of ship types sailing on the waters of the San Francisco Bay in the mid-nineteenth century. The scene depicts both sailing vessels and an early steam-powered ship. In the foreground is a piloting schooner, similar to the ones that sailed the Bay until 1973. To the left, a clipper ship is depicted entering the Bay, with its lower sails already stowed. The painting captures the bustling maritime activity and the transition of ship technologies during this exciting period in California’s history.

Learn more about the BOPC’s rich history and how piloting has evolved over the past 174 years here.

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Gavin Newsom

California GovernorVisit his Website
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Toks Omishakin

CalSTA SecretaryVisit CalSTA Secretary