CAPTAIN ELIZABETH A. CHRISTMAN

Many of us marvel at the commercial ships that travel up and down the Chesapeake Bay. Some exceed four football fields in length and have drafts that approach 47 feet, and yet they routinely transit a 50-foot-deep main shipping channel. These massive vessels are navigated by Maryland Pilots, who are selected, licensed, and regulated by the Maryland State Board of Pilots.

Join us on March 24, during Women’s Awareness Month, as we welcome back Captain Beth Christman, one of a handful of women pilots on the Bay. Captain Christman has risen through the ranks to Senior Pilot and has just completed a term as Vice President of the Association of Maryland Pilots. 

Captain Christman will share her experiences as a pilot, navigating ships between the C&D Canal and Cape Henry in Virginia. She will answer questions that include “who is in charge of the ship” and how handoffs are made with Delaware and Virginia pilots. She will describe her career progression and offer advice to those who may be interested in the field. And she also has some pearls of wisdom for operators of smaller vessels. 

Although Captain Christman cannot share inside information regarding active investigations, including MV Dali and MV Ever Forward, she is able to speak about leading the association during the Dali incident. Additionally, she can answer questions about the business aspects of the Association of Maryland Pilots, whose members operate as independent contractors.

Captain Elizabeth Christman was born and raised in Norwich, NY.  She attended SUNY Maritime College and graduated in 1987 with a BS in Marine Transportation, an Unlimited Third Mates License from the US Coast Guard and a Commission as an Ensign in the US Naval Reserves. 

She sailed on merchant vessels after graduation, working on tankers, tugboats, training ships, and cruise ships.  She passed her Unlimited Masters license in 1992.  Soon after, she returned to SUNY Maritime College to take night classes in their Graduate Program, while she worked on the Training Ship Empire State VI, ultimately graduating in 1995 with an MS in Transportation. 

In 1996, she was selected by the Maryland State Board of Pilots and commenced training with the Association of Maryland Pilots on the Chesapeake Bay and C & D Canal.  She completed her 5 years of training in 2001 and became an Unlimited Licensed Pilot with the Association.  She was elected by the Association membership, Secretary of the Board of Supervisors, charged with overseeing the Association business from 2006-2016.  She was on the Maryland State Board of Pilots Incident Committee from 2006-2010.  On July 21, 2020, she was elected to serve on the Board of Supervisors as 1^st Vice President of the Association of Maryland Pilots and served in the position until June 18, 2024.  Presently, she is an active pilot with the Association of Maryland Pilots.

She participates on the American Pilot Association NavTech committee, is the Vice Chair of the US Coast Guard NMEDMAC committee, and is on the Charitable Trust Board of the Propeller Club of Baltimore.