Article

#DangerousLadders on Facebook

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 10 September 2019 - 441 -

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About this group

This group is to help spread the campaign to improve the safety of pilot ladders and pilot transfer arrangements.

Every survey says approx. 20% of arrangements are non-compliant. If they're non-compliant, they're not safe so they shouldn't be used!

Let's reduce the 20% by engagement, education and enforcement.

Join #DangerousLadders group on Facebook

Chris Young on LinkedIn

Kevin Vallance on LinkedIn

What's your opinion on this?

Article Combinations Ladders: "1,000 combinations around" (by Arie Palmers)

by Arie Palmers, Netherlands - published on 13 July 2020

Before you, you see my third article on pilot boarding arrangements. After my two previous articles
(‘1000 ways to secure a pilot ladder’ and ‘1000 ladders around’, I have received a lot of feedback and
also questions to get deeper into the matter of combinations and embarkation platforms.

Article Jacobsen Pilot Service and Los Angeles Pilot Station publish notice to all ships

published on 15 August 2020

Jacobsen Pilot Service and Los Angeles Pilot Station published a notice to all ships to inspect pilot ladders before the pilot boards.

Reason is an incident happened at the port of long beach in July 2020. Pilot ladder rope broke while the pilot was on the ladder - luckily the pilot was able to hold on.

Article Origins of the IMPA pilot mark

by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 24 October 2019

There are many things in both our everyday and professional lives which we take for granted and never question the origins of, an example of this might be the IMPA recommended ‘pilot mark or pilot line’, which is sometimes seen on the side of vessels indicating where a vessels freeboard exceeds 9 metres.

Video Tarifa Pilot

published on 18 August 2022

On board Pilot One during boarding maneuvers to one of the regular ferries that connects Tarifa with Tangier city.

Video Pilot boarding in ???

published on 5 November 2020

Video The best pilot ladders for the safety of maritime pilots

published on 23 November 2022

Commercial video by PTR Holland. Published by Marine-Pilots.com

Video Pilot boarding ship @south China sea

published on 9 May 2022

Article #dangerousladders - Using social media to improve pilot transfer safety.

by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 12 December 2019

It remains a sad fact that accidents and near misses continue to occur during pilot transfers with frightening regularity. Most of these fortunately do not result in injury, and a surprisingly high number of them are not even recognised for what they are.

Surveys into pilot ladder safety consistently reveal that unacceptably high numbers of pilot transfer arrangements are not compliant with the regulations.

Opinion New guidance for PBAs with trapdoors. Released 4.11.2020 by NZMPA

by New Zealand Maritime Pilot's Association - published on 6 November 2020

New guidance for PBAs with trapdoors. Released 4.11.2020 at NZMPA Conference in Dunedin, NZ. Distinct difference to suggestions in many other countries, is that we challenge operators who have the ladder suspended from the accommodation ladder (gangway) and not secured to the ship. SOLAS states that pilot ladder shall be secured to the ship, and securing strongpoints, shackles and ropes shall be as strong as the sideropes.