Ocean intelligence for marine pilots and PPUs

Marine pilots operate where margins are tight and decisions are immediate. Tidal height, current direction and speed can change quickly — small differences can have large consequences during port approaches, transits and berthing.

Tidetech supports marine pilots with operational‑grade tidal and current intelligence designed for use in pilotage and portable pilot units (PPUs), helping pilots make safer, more confident decisions in dynamic coastal environments.

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Who this solution is for

This solution is designed for:

Marine pilots and pilotage organisations
Harbour authorities and pilot services
PPU providers and pilotage system integrators
Ports supporting modern pilotage operations

Tidetech works with pilots operating in tide‑dominant, high‑traffic and constrained waters, where clarity matters more than abstraction.

Pilot boat at speed in ocean Tidetech solutions

The challenge marine pilots face

Marine pilots are often required to make critical decisions based on:

Rapidly changing tidal height and current conditions
Local flow behaviour influenced by bathymetry and port geometry
Limited time to interpret multiple data sources
Data that may be coarse, static or interpolated from distant reference points

Traditional tide tables and generic current predictions can fail to represent what is actually happening at the ship’s position — increasing uncertainty at the worst possible moment.

Pilot vessel alongside ship transferring pilot Tidetech solutions

How Tidetech supports pilotage decisions

Tidetech provides pilots with tidal and current intelligence that reflects local conditions in space and time.

Our data helps pilots to:

Assess under‑keel clearance with greater confidence
Understand current set and rate along pilotage routes
Anticipate changes in tidal behaviour during transits
Reduce reliance on conservative assumptions
Make safety contours more accurate
Support safer manoeuvring in confined waters

This intelligence is designed to support real‑time decision‑making, not post‑voyage analysis.

Orange pilot vessel at sea Tidetech solutions

Products commonly used by pilots and PPUs

Pilots and pilotage systems use Tidetech products including:

Global tidal heights and tidal predictions
Regional high‑resolution tidal and current models
Local tidal current datasets for port approaches and channels
S‑100 aligned datasets (including S‑104 water levels and S‑111 surface currents)

Products can be selected based on local conditions, regulatory context and system capability.

Tidetech high resolution tidal model for Solent UK

Designed for PPU and pilot system integration

Tidetech products are designed to integrate into pilotage workflows and PPU environments.

They integrate with:

Portable pilot units
Pilotage and navigation applications
Port and VTS decision‑support systems
OEM pilotage and situational‑awareness platforms

Delivery options include API access, S‑100 aligned services and industry‑standard formats, enabling reliable use alongside other pilotage data sources.