What Mobile Bar Pilots does

Mobile Bar Pilots, LLC is a private, state-mandated maritime pilotage organization operating exclusively at the Port of Mobile, Alabama. The firm provides licensed pilotage services to vessels engaged in domestic and foreign trade navigating the Mobile Bar sand bar and Mobile Bay, with all member pilots holding both state and federal licenses for unlimited tonnage. Services are ordered directly by vessels or their designated agents and dispatched 24/7/365 from a Mobile headquarters, with pilots physically transported to and from vessels by a fleet of three modern pilot boats stationed at a self-reliant Dauphin Island pilot station. The organization traces continuous operational history to 1711, predating the formal founding of the modern association in 1931 and its 1997 incorporation as a limited liability company.

The company's core product is professional pilotage—physically guiding vessels across the hazardous Mobile Bar and through the ship channel—supported by 24/7 dispatching, ETA management, boarding coordination, and tariff-based fee schedules. Underlying technology is operational rather than novel: state-of-the-art vessel position monitoring, constant VHF Channel 16 communications from Dauphin Island, and a self-reliant fueling and generator infrastructure designed to maintain continuous operations through hurricanes and natural disasters. There is no software product, no AI component, and no externally licensed technology; the disparity between information provision and physical maritime service is the core architecture.

Revenue is generated entirely through usage-based pricing per vessel transit, itemized across gross tonnage charges ($0.0806/ton, minimum 6,500 GT), draft charges ($49.08/foot, minimum 15 feet), docking/undocking fees, turning charges, detention and cancellation fees, and three surcharges (5% fuel, 6% pilot boat, 2% safety education). Special-purpose vessels such as drill rigs and drill ships are billed at double the regular rate plus hourly charges, and vessels over 1,000 feet require two pilots at double fees. Customer segments include general commercial maritime traffic (domestic and foreign trade), special-purpose vessels and tows, oversized vessels, and Atlantic Marine shipyard docking clients—a horizontally segmented enterprise base dependent on Port of Mobile volume rather than any single named client.

Name

Mobile Bar Pilots

Legal name

Mobile Bar Pilots, LLC

Website

https://mobilebarpilots.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mobile Bar Pilots, LLC is a state-mandated maritime pilotage organization providing licensed vessel navigation services across the Mobile Bar and Mobile Bay in Alabama, serving commercial vessels in domestic and foreign trade through usage-based pricing and 24/7 dispatch operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Pilotage Services

NAICS

Navigational Services to Shipping (48833), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Harbor Pilots (Compulsory Pilotage) (TLAHAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pilotage Authority & Dispatch Services (Pilot Stations, Rostering, VTS Interface) (TLAHAGAG), Deep-Sea / Coastal Pilotage (Non-Harbor Coastal Transits) (TLAHAGAF), Pilot Training, Certification & Medical/Fitness Services (TLAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Maritime pilotage services
• Vessel navigation
• Port bar crossing
• Ship channel navigation
• Harbor docking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mobile

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Gross Tonnage Charge: Base pilotage fee calculated per highest registered gross tonnage with a minimum of 6,500 gross tons at $0.0806 per ton. This covers crossing the outer bar of Mobile Bay or navigating vessels into or out of the bay or harbor of Mobile/Theodore.
2. Draft Charge: Per-foot draft charge at $49.08 per draft foot with a minimum of 15 feet draft. Applied when vessels transit Mobile Bay south of Mobile Ship Channel Buoy # 22.
3. Shifting Services: Docking/undocking charges of $193.75 per vessel; turning charges of $161.46 for vessels 6,500 GT or less and $226.04 for vessels over 6,500 GT. Charges align with Alabama State Port Authority shifting fees.
4. Special Services and Surcharges: Detention fees at $387.51 per hour, cancellation fees of $387.51, communication fee of $66.76, capital improvement fee of $64.59. Applied in addition to regular pilotage fees.
5. Surcharges: 5% Transportation/Fuel Surcharge, 6% Pilot Boat Fee Surcharge (minimum $187.30), and 2% Safety Education Surcharge applied to every vessel transit charge.
6. Special Purpose Vessel Towing: Drill Rigs, Drill Ships, Pipe Laying Barges, Derrick Barges, and Special Purpose Vessels: Double regular pilotage rates plus $645.84 per hour per pilot. Dead Ship Tows and Ocean-Going Barges: Regular rates plus $516.67 per hour per pilot.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mobile Bar Pilots provides professional maritime pilotage services for vessels engaged in domestic and foreign trade navigating the Port of Mobile, Alabama. State and federally licensed pilots guide vessels across the Mobile Bar and through Mobile Bay and Theodore Harbor, supported by 24/7 dispatching operations, three pilot boats stationed at Dauphin Island, and structured tariff-based pricing for tonnage, draft, docking, and turning services.

Product overview

Mobile Bar Pilots is a full-service maritime pilotage organization providing comprehensive vessel navigation services in Mobile Bay and Theodore Harbor, Alabama. The core offering consists of professional pilotage services where state and federally licensed pilots guide vessels across the Mobile Bar and through the ship channel. Supporting operations include 24/7 dispatching services, pilot boat transportation, boarding coordination, and ETA management. The company operates under a structured tariff system with fees based on gross tonnage, draft, and specialized services such as docking, turning, and detention. Services are delivered from the Dauphin Island Pilot Station using a fleet of three pilot boats and coordinated through the main Mobile office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pilotage Services Professional maritime pilotage services for vessels navigating across the Mobile Bar and into or out of Mobile Bay and Theodore Harbor. All pilots are state and federally licensed for unlimited tonnage throughout the Port of Mobile. Services are required by State Law to ensure reliability of pilotage in Alabama.
• 24/7 Dispatching Services Round-the-clock dispatcher operations maintained by three dispatchers year-round in Mobile, coordinating vessel traffic, prioritizing ship movements with the Harbormaster, and dispatching pilots as needed.
• Pilot Boat Operations Fleet of three well-maintained modern pilot boats stationed at the Dauphin Island Pilot Station, operated by professional launch captains to transport pilots to and from vessels. The station is manned 24/7 with professional launch captains who coordinate traffic under direction of the dispatcher.
• Pilot Boarding Coordination Coordination services for pilot embarkation and disembarkation, including VHF communications, boarding area management, and pilot ladder guidance for vessels arriving at or departing from Mobile.
• Special Purpose Vessel Towing Specialized pilotage services for drill rigs, drill ships, pipe laying barges, derrick barges, and special purpose vessels with non-standard propulsion/rudders. Drill rigs and drill ships are charged double regular pilotage rates plus $645.84 per hour per pilot. Dead ship tows and ocean-going barges are charged regular rates plus $516.67 per hour per pilot.

Quantifiable outcome

• Prevents marine incidents that would result in harm to the environment, the public, and mariners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Corpus Christi Pilots: Corpus Christi Pilots Association provides compulsory pilotage for the Port of Corpus Christi, a major Gulf energy export hub. Comparable in mandate, fee structure, and service for tankers and special-purpose vessels serving Gulf energy trades.
• Columbia River Pilots: Columbia River Pilots provide compulsory pilotage at the Columbia River Bar, one of the most challenging bar crossings in North America. Comparable in bar pilotage expertise, regulatory framework, and state-mandated service requirements to Mobile Bar Pilots.
• Sabine Pilots: Sabine Pilots provides state-mandated pilotage services for the Sabine Pass ship channel on the Texas-Louisiana border. Both organizations are compulsory pilotage associations operating Gulf Coast bar/port entries with similar licensing requirements, tariff structures, and 24/7 dispatching models.
• Sandy Hook Pilots: Sandy Hook Pilots provide compulsory pilotage for the Port of New York/New Jersey. They share the same regulatory monopoly model, unlimited tonnage licensing, and tonnage/draft-based fee structure as Mobile Bar Pilots, though operating in a much larger port.
• Crescent Pilots: Crescent Pilots (Port of New Orleans) provide state-mandated pilotage services on the Mississippi River. They share the same regulatory mandate, unlimited tonnage licensing requirements, and tonnage/draft-based tariff structure as Mobile Bar Pilots.
• Puget Sound Pilots: Puget Sound Pilots provide compulsory pilotage for the Puget Sound region including the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They operate under a similar state-mandated monopoly with comparable licensing, fee structures, and dispatch operations for major commercial ports.
• Houston Pilots: Houston Pilots provide compulsory pilotage services for the Houston Ship Channel, one of the busiest waterways in the U.S. Both are regulated pilotage associations serving major Gulf ports with similar licensing, fee structures, and dispatch operations.
• Galveston-Texas City Pilots: Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association provides compulsory pilotage for the Galveston Bay/Texas City port complex. Both organizations are Gulf Coast bar/harbor pilotage associations with state licensing requirements and tariff-based revenue models.
• Tampa Bay Pilots: Tampa Bay Pilots Association provides compulsory pilotage for Tampa Bay, Florida. They operate under similar state regulatory frameworks with comparable fee structures, pilot boat fleets, and 24/7 dispatch operations for Gulf commercial traffic.
• Los Angeles Pilots: Los Angeles Pilot Service provides compulsory pilotage for the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach complex. A larger U.S. pilotage association operating under a similar state-mandated monopoly model with comparable tariff structures and licensing requirements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mobile-bar-pilots-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mobile Bar Pilots