With the famous Liverpool Liver Buildings as a backdrop this is one of the Liverpool Pilot boats.
Why are Pilots whizzing up and down the river with not a plane in sight ?
When a ship is entering or leaving a port around the world, it is not the Captain who has responsibility for the safety of the vessel. It is the Pilot, he is highly knowledgable about the local tides, depths of water and other hazards that might be present. These boats are used to transfer the Pilots from ship to shore or vice versa. This boat was bringing back in two Pilots who had safely guided their ships out into open sea.
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