International Standard for Maritime Pilot Organizations

ISPO is a standard that can be used by maritime pilot organizations, providing transparency to all relevant stakeholders, ensuring a consistent minimum level of safety and quality, and supporting a continuous, ongoing process of improvement.

November 2026

ISPO conference 2026

In collaboration with our host, Sohar Industrial Port Company SAOC, the International Users Group of ISPO-certified organizations (IUG) is announcing the upcoming ISPO conference in Muscat, Oman. More information coming soon!

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ISPO Standard

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in maritime legislation and regulations, as well as an increase in self-regulation. Regulators recognize the contributory effects of industry self-regulation through voluntary codes of best practice and guidelines. Industry self-regulation is considered a necessary and welcome addition to the traditional compliance and survey-based systems. For this reason, the International Standard for Maritime Pilot Organizations (ISPO) was established and is in use by over 40 pilot organizations worldwide, representing over one-thousand pilots.

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The International Users Group (IUG)

The responsibility for the maintenance and development of the International Standard for Pilot Organizations lies with the International Users Group of ISPO-certified organizations (IUG). 

This means that ISPO is a standard developed by Pilots for Pilots!

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