Port of Los Angeles Pilot Service

The Los Angeles Pilot Service operates as a specialized division under the Public Safety and Emergency Management Bureau of the Port of Los Angeles, where its primary operation centers on providing mandatory 24/7/365 maritime pilotage, dispatching, and master ship handling services to ensure the safe transit of vessels navigating the harbor. Founded in 1907, this elite team of nearly 30 professionals—including port pilots, dispatchers, boat captains, and deckhands—holds the distinct status of being the only pilotage group in the United States entirely operated by a municipality and staffed by city government employees.