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 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 3 tug boats of 600, 1300 and 3500 Brake Horse Power for serving the ships as well as 2 pilot boats for transporting the pilots.

The pilot service of Larnaca port apart from its services to the port and the oil terminals at Larnaca roadstead, serves also the oil terminal at Dhekelia and Vassilikos.