Incident on 31 January 2020 : A rope of the pilot ladder breaks. Pilot could still reach the vessel

From that moment on I have been keeping a tally of the non compliant boarding arrangements I see in front of me on a daily base, and off course I participate in the annual safety campaign, conducted by IMPA each october.

A 35-year-old male sea pilot of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) fell into the sea from a crude oil tanker near the N Shed Wharf in the port of Durban. A rope of the pilot ladder is said to have snapped for an undetermined reason when the man disembarked while leaving the crude oil tanker which was leaving the port of Durban.

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.

Pilot of cargo ship Ever Forward, which ran aground in Chesapeake Bay last year, gives up license

ChirpMaritime has just released their annual analysis of maritime reports (2022-2023).

Today i tagged along on the pilot boat Pacific Pathfinder and her sister ship the Pacific Chinook to film their annual Man Overboard drills and re certification. It was a pleasure to watch the crews working together to demonstrate how fast they can save a life. Filmed using a DJI Mini 2 If you are interested in purchasing a Mini here is a link to my DJI affiliate program. https://click.dji.com/AFpMBjgnYfRjCViNU2HZ_g?pm=link All video footage is owned by Northcoast Drone and it can be...

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

AMSA: A pilot was seriously injured after losing balance when a large wave impacted the vessel at the same time as they stood up to remove their lifejacket while in the cabin.

The use of historical navigation data by ports is essential for safety investigations globally. In the digital age, a wealth of pilotage data is available, aiding operations and training but potentially causing stress if misused.

APA says: “Pilots share NOAA’s goal of protecting the North Atlantic right whale, but this is the wrong approach.”