The piloting and towing of all the ships without exception within the port area is provided by the Cyprus Ports Authority. Piloting is mandatory. ''Pilot'' in line with Clause 2 of the Authority's Fundamental Law ''means any person in the employment of the Authority and/or license permit holder and/or authorised and/or otherwise nominated by the Authority and who without belonging to a ship undertakes to advise the captain of the ship who enters into or departs from a port of the Authority's jurisdiction, without replacing him of his rights and obligations in connection with the safety of the ship''. Pilots are holders of the Diploma of Captain of the Commercial Fleet.

The Piloting Service is manned by pilots, Captains and Tug Engineers, coxswains, who man piloting and tug boats as well as groups for the mooring of ships.

Piloting commences at 06:00 and extends even beyond midnight depending on the needs of the service i.e. the need for arrival at or departure of ships from the port area. The Pilot of the Port Authority goes aboard the ships at the Pilot Station one nautical mile to the East of the port entrance, exchanges information with the Captain and pilots the ship into the port and to the quay coordinating at the same time all services for assisting the ship such as tug boats, mooring boats, mooring group etc. Similar actions are carried out during the departure of a ship.

For the operation of the Piloting Service, the Authority has at its disposal:

1. Three tug boats (2x3500BHP) and (1x1300BHP), two pilot boats and two mooring boats.
2. Vessel Tracking Station (VTS): This is a station monitoring the navigational traffic for safety purposes as well as for the protection of the marine environment. It operates on a 24 hour basis and exchanges information (channel of communication ''VHF-09'') with ships arriving at or departing from the Authority's ports. It helps in the immediate mobilisation in the event of emergencies. It is manned by qualified staff of the Authority (Officers of Commercial Navy).