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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 760 PRINTER'S NO. 919
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 748
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY FARRY, BOSCOLA, KANE AND COSTA, MAY 9, 2025
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JUNE 9, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 11, 1889 (P.L.188, No.210), entitled "A
further supplement to an act, entitled 'An act to establish a
board of wardens for the Port of Philadelphia, and for the
regulation of pilots and pilotage, and for other purposes,'
approved March twenty-ninth, one thousand eight hundred and
three, and for regulating the rates of pilotage and number of
pilots," further providing for rates of pilotage and
computation, for pilotage fees and unit charge and for
charges for services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 3.1(b) and (c), 3.2(b) and (c) and
3.3(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the act of May 11, 1889
(P.L.188, No.210), entitled "A further supplement to an act,
entitled 'An act to establish a board of wardens for the Port of
Philadelphia, and for the regulation of pilots and pilotage, and
for other purposes,' approved March twenty-ninth, one thousand
eight hundred and three, and for regulating the rates of
pilotage and number of pilots," are amended to read:
Section 3.1. For services rendered on and after January 1,
1990, retroactively, the rates of pilotage for conducting a
vessel from the Capes of the Delaware to a place on the Delaware
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River or Bay no further upriver than the Delair Railroad Bridge
between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Delair, New Jersey, or
from a place on the river Delaware no further upriver than the
Delair Railroad Bridge between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and
Delair, New Jersey, to the Capes of the Delaware, in either
case, shall be computed as follows:
* * *
(b) The charges per unit shall be as follows:
(xi) Effective January 1, 2022............. $14.91 per unit
(xii) Effective January 1, 2023............ $15.66 per unit
(xiii) Effective January 1, 2024........... $16.44 per unit
(xiv) Effective January 1, 2025............ $17.26 per unit
(xv) Effective January 1, 2026 ............. $17.78 per unit
(xvi) Effective January 1, 2027 ............ $18.31 per unit
(xvii) Effective January 1, 2028 ........... $18.86 per unit
(c) There shall be a minimum charge of two hundred units and
a maximum unit charge as follows:
(xi) Effective January 1, 2022............. 1,550 units
(xii) Effective January 1, 2023............ 1,550 units
(xiii) Effective January 1, 2024........... 1,550 units
(xiv) Effective January 1, 2025............ 1,550 units
(xv) Effective January 1, 2026 ............. 1,600 units
(xvi) Effective January 1, 2027 ............ 1,600 units
(xvii) Effective January 1, 2028 ........... 1,600 units
Section 3.2. That every ship or vessel bound to the Delaware
breakwater for orders shall be obliged to receive a pilot,
provided she is spoken or a pilot offers his services, outside
of a straight line drawn from Cape Henlopen Light to Cape May
Light, and every ship or vessel bound to the breakwater for
orders shall pay pilotage fees as follows: A sum equal to half
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the pilotage to the Port of Philadelphia, and she shall be
obliged to take a pilot and pay the same pilotage fees when
outward bound, from the breakwater, and if such ship or vessel,
without discharging her pilot, proceed to the Port of
Philadelphia or any other port or place on the bay or river
Delaware, only one full pilotage fee as fixed by section 3.1 of
this act, for the entire service, in addition to the fee for
detention: Provided, however, That if the pilot bringing such
ship or vessel to the breakwater be there discharged, and the
ship or vessel afterward proceed to Philadelphia or any other
port or place on the bay or river Delaware, she shall make the
usual signal for a pilot and continue to make such signal till
reaching Brandywine Light, and if spoken by, or offered the
services of, a duly licensed Pennsylvania pilot before reaching
Brandywine Light, shall be obliged to employ such pilot and pay
him for services rendered on and after the effective date of
this act, a charge computed as follows:
* * *
(b) The charges per unit shall be as follows:
[(xi) Effective January 1, 2022............ $14.91 per unit
(xii) Effective January 1, 2023............ $15.66 per unit
(xiii) Effective January 1, 2024........... $16.44 per unit]
(xiv) Effective January 1, 2025............ $17.26 per unit
(xv) Effective January 1, 2026 ............. $17.78 per unit
(xvi) Effective January 1, 2027 ............ $18.31 per unit
(xvii) Effective January 1, 2028 ........... $18.61 per unit
(XVII) EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2028............ $18.86 PER UNIT
(c) There shall be a minimum charge of two hundred units and
a maximum unit charge as follows:
[(xi) Effective January 1, 2022............ 1,550 units
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(xii) Effective January 1, 2023............ 1,550 units
(xiii) Effective January 1, 2024........... 1,550 units]
(xiv) Effective January 1, 2025............ 1,550 units
(xv) Effective January 1, 2026 ............. 1,600 units
(xvi) Effective January 1, 2027 ............ 1,600 units
(xvii) Effective January 1, 2028 ........... 1,600 units
Section 3.3. The following charges are hereby authorized for
the services stated:
(1) Ship communication charge:
Vessels transiting the Delaware River.......... [$275.00]
$300.00
(2) Transporting vessels in the Delaware:
Philadelphia (or other place) to Marcus Hook... [1,000.00]
1,250.00
Philadelphia (or other place) below Marcus Hook [1,000.00]
1,250.00
Philadelphia Harbor to Torresdale.............. [1,000.00]
1,250.00
Philadelphia Harbor to any place above
Torresdale........................................ [1,200.00]
1,500.00
(3) Extra services:
Swing ship to adjust magnetic compass.......... 300.00
Swing ship to calibrate direction finder....... 300.00
Vessels anchoring below Brown Shoal in excess
of three hours awaiting flood tide for transiting
river channel..................................... [500.00]
750.00
Carried to/from Baltimore...................... 600.00
Carried to/from Norfolk........................ 1,000.00
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Carried to/from New York....................... 1,000.00
Vessels entering the Capes for anchorage at the Breakwater for
other than tide shall pay one-half pilotage in and one-half
pilotage out.
(4) Chesapeake and Delaware Canal:
Vessels transiting the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal:
Vessels with a length overall of less than 650
feet.............................................. [1,000.00]
1,250.00
Vessels with a length overall of 650 feet or
more.............................................. [1,500.00]
1,750.00
(5) Cancellation of sailing orders:
Cancellation charge............................ [1,000.00]
minimum
pilotage
Any time a pilot is dispatched for sailing and the trip or
movement is canceled, for reason other than weather, the vessel
shall be subject to this charge, except when the Pilot Office is
notified as follows:
All piers north of Hog Island - 1 1/2 hours before sailing
time.
All piers north of Paulsboro - 2 hours before sailing time.
All piers south of the above - 3 hours before sailing time.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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