Safe, timely, and cost-efficient Marine Pilot Transfer Services (MPTs) with 35 years of operational excellence across Australia’s most stringent pilotage routes.

Torres Pilots (TP) is Australia’s longest established and largest specialist provider of marine Pilot services in the Torres Strait (T/S) and Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The principal, Perry Sutton has four decades of operational experience and has owned the business since 1989. Torres Pilots delivers safe, reliable and cost efficient Pilot services in the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef to over 2,700 vessels per year. TP exclusively uses Service owned and operated pilot launches and helicopters to transfer marine Pilots to and from piloted vessels in some of the most challenging and remote maritime environments in the world. TP Pilots are licenced for the compulsory pilotage areas of T/S and the inner route (to cairns), the T/S outer route to Dalrymple island (GNEC) and Hydrographers Passage.

TP is licensed by the Australian Maritime Authority (AMSA) to provide AMSA licensed pilots in the T/S & GBR. TP engages 40 pilots as dedicated contractors to provide those services. Pilotage in the T/S & GBR is compulsory under the provisions of the Federal legislature, the GBRMP Act.

Fleet & Operations

  • Six purpose-built, twin-diesel aluminium pilot vessels operating 24/7 from bases in Cairns, Thursday Island and Poruma Island.
  • Over 3,200 launch-based MPTs annually, supported by highly trained crews and rigorous operational procedures.

Safety & Compliance

  • Zero ATSB or AMSA reportable incidents in over a decade, reflecting our uncompromising safety culture.
  • Certified to AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management).
  • AMSA-certified provider of GBR licensed pilots with annual audits confirming compliance with AMSA MO 54 and TP’s Safety Management System (SMS).
  • Continuous improvement across vessels, equipment, training, communications systems, and service delivery standards.

Proven Regulatory Integrity

TP has maintained an uninterrupted MO 54 pilotage provider licence since its first issue in 2003. Our compliance, governance standards, and operational performance remain benchmarked against the highest industry expectations.

Purpose-Built Vessel Capability

TP owns, builds, maintains and operates its pilot vessel fleet. All vessels are designed specifically for the shallow, dynamic and tide-affected sea states of the Torres Strait, where wind-against-tide conditions can produce steep, standing seas.

  • TP vessels exceed National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) requirements.
  • Annual third-party survey of all vessels and scheduled refits performed in our in-house Cairns workshop.
  • Preventative maintenance programs have effectively eliminated unplanned outages.

Operational Experience

TP has deep operational experience in both GBR and port-based pilot transfers, including:

  • Manning and operating port pilot vessels in Weipa for MSQ (2011–2013), including rapid mobilisation of back-up vessels.
  • Ongoing provision of pilot transfer services for Ports North (Port of Thursday Island).
  • Current contracted port pilotage provider for South32 at Groote Eylandt.
  • Long-term service provider to leading global shipping companies; references available upon request.

Helicopter-Facilitated MPTs

Through our affiliated company Flyon, TP operates twin-engine IFR helicopters supporting the Hydrographers Passage (HP) opening — one of the world’s longest and most weather-exposed MPT operations. These services run 24/7 except during the most severe weather, providing unmatched coverage and reliability.