More than 7,500 times a year, members of the Puget Sound Pilots board oil tankers, cargo vessels and cruise ships to guide them safely through difficult passages, tricky currents, and congested shipping lanes. The Pilots dock these vessels in Puget Sound ports and return them to the open sea. Our pilots are independent professionals who work on behalf of the citizens of Washington State. Their expertise and commitment to excellence has produced an unparalleled safety record of more than 165,000 sailings over the last twenty years without a major incident.