Our Team

André Gaillard was born in Nice in 1972. After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate, he entered the French National Maritime School in 1991 and obtained his unlimited captain's license in 2001 after having mainly sailed on passenger ships (ferries and cruise ships). He became a pilot at the port of Marseille-Fos in 2003, and then at the ports of Nice-Cannes-Villefranche in 2008. He was elected president of the Nice pilot station in 2015, a position he held until 2020. He was appointed technical advisor to the Nice-Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2016 and was elected president of the Union Maritime 06 (an association of local maritime professionals) in 2018.

He was elected Secretary General of the French Federation of Maritime Pilots (FFPM) in 2021 and Vice-President of the International Maritime Pilots' Association (IMPA) in 2022. Finally, he graduated as an auditor from the Institute of Advanced National Defense Studies (IHEDN), in the national session - majoring in "Maritime Issues and Strategies" in 2023. In 2024, he was elected president of the FFPM, a position he still holds today.

In addition to promoting the profession of a pilot, André Gaillard brings a broader vision by advocating for the modernization of French port infrastructure and supporting the maritime transport sector as a whole. One of his objectives is to inform the public and advise elected officials on the environmental benefits of maritime trade, as the least polluting mode of transport per ton or per passenger, while promoting greener technological solutions.

Stéphane POUSSET was born in PARIS in 1966. In 1985 he entered the NANTES merchant marine school where he lives. He was certified as a 1st Class Captain and Chief Engineer in 1995. After having sailed on container ships, ROROs and ferries, he became a pilot for LOIRE in 1998 and SABLES D'OLONNE in 2003. Within the station, he is elected successively to the functions of technical manager, major pilot and president.

His experience has been enriched over time by various responsibilities: construction monitoring of the pilot boat LA COURONNEE IV, member of the regional ship safety commission BRETAGNE/PAYS DE LOIRE, temporary professor at ENSM, technical advisor to the chamber of commerce of NANTES SAINT NAZAIRE, expert in port development, lecturer and assessor at the maritime court of BREST.
He has held the position of Secretary General of the FFPM since July 1, 2024.

Cécile Lemberski graduated from Sciences-Po Toulouse with a specialization in public law, then pursued studies in international and European law at the University of Bradford (UK). Upon returning to France, she continued her education with a master's degree in European and international law, followed by a European master's in geopolitics and international relations.

During this time, she gained her initial experience in 2002-2003 in the legal department of the European Parliament. After obtaining the Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession, she joined the Paris Bar. Following several experiences as a lawyer in law firms specializing in corporate law, Cécile Lemberski joined the FFPM in April 2008 as the legal manager.

Pierre CASTETZ is the current webmaster & digital content manager of the French Maritime Pilots Federation websites, responsible for communication, internal media, and digital content for the Federation.

He graduated from the Ecole Nationale de la Marine Marchande (now ENSM) in 2002 & completed a Master 2 in Maritime Law at the University of Le Havre at the same time.

He was certified as a 1st Class Captain of Maritime Navigation (C1NM) in 2008 and spent most of his time sailing on cruise ships, ro-ro ships, passenger ro-ro ships, and HSC ships. He was Commander and Deputy Commander on passenger ro-ro ships and HSC ships.
He became a maritime pilot at the Le Havre/Antifer/Fécamp pilot station in 2014.

He participated in the change of ISO 9001 Standard of the French Federation of Maritime Pilots, then became Quality Assurance Manager of the Le Havre/Antifer/Fécamp Station in 2016. Within his Station and the Federation, he has also worked as a Webmaster since 2014.