Article

Fremantle Pilots and Fremantle Ports: Working Together to Improve Pilot Transfer Safety


by Fremantle Pilots - published on 6 June 2025 784 -

Text and images from Fremantle Pilots website
Clear statements from Fremantle Pilots and Fremantle Ports to ensure the safety of pilot transfers:

It is widely accepted that marine pilot transfers are one of the highest risk operations undertaken in the Maritime industry. The fundamentals of pilots boarding by ladder have remained unchanged for centuries, including in Fremantle where pilots have been boarding vessels in Gage Roads by pilot ladder since 1829. However, the size of vessels boarded has dramatically increased over time, leading to an increased risk of injury to the pilot should equipment fail during transfers.

In August of 2022, a Fremantle Pilot was involved in a serious incident involving the failure of a Pilot boarding arrangement. This resulted in AMSA successfully prosecuting the involved vessel Master and Owner. This incident, the subsequent investigation and the completion of dedicated workshops with key stakeholders, resulted in a complete overhaul of pilot boarding arrangements and pilot transfer processes in Fremantle.

Led by the Harbour Master’s Office, Fremantle Ports has introduced stringent, world leading pre-arrival vetting of pilot boarding arrangements and requirements that include:


  • All Pilot ladders, manropes and associated equipment are to be used only for marine transfers (pilots and other personnel) and must not be used for any other operations onboard the vessel such as for draught readings or any maintenance work. All equipment is to be clearly marked as “For Marine Transfers Only”
  • Maximum permitted age of pilot ladders for use when calling at the Port of Fremantle is 30 months commencing from the date of manufacture.
  • Maximum permitted age of manropes used with pilot ladders is 12 months commencing from the date of manufacture.

Most ports within Australia have now adopted these pilot ladder and man-ropes age requirements into their individual port criteria.

The criteria developed through ARCSOPT (Association of Resource Companies, Ship Operators, Ports and Terminals) has also been endorsed by Ports Australia for wider industry acceptance.

With the heightened awareness of Pilot Ladder arrangements, Fremantle Pilots are required to report all non-conformances to the Harbour Masters Office, no matter how small the defect may seem. This sends a strong message to all masters, officers and crew that there is zero tolerance towards unsafe or incorrectly rigged pilot ladders for vessels visiting the port.

In addition to the changes in Pilot boarding arrangements, Fremantle Pilots has introduced standardised and improved personal protective equipment requirements for all pilots and enhanced boarding procedures.

With over 3000 pilot transfers per year, Fremantle Ports and Fremantle Pilots are working collaboratively to ensure every operation is completed safely. Since these changes have been introduced, it is pleasing that pilots have observed a significant improvement in the overall standard of pilot transfer arrangements for vessels visiting Fremantle.

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
René Hartung Lotsenbrüderschaft NOK II Kiel / Lübeck / Flensburg, Germany
on 9 June 2025, 10:31 UTC

There is those areas where pilot‘s safety is taken seriously - and there is others, where the organizational structures discourage pilots from not accepting non-compliant ladders, because local rules don‘t take that option into account
1

Read more...

Video Pilot Transfer - New Zealand (Auckland) & Australia (Melbourne/Fremantle)

published on 21 October 2021

Spotted some Pilot Boats in the Port of Auckland, New Zealand and Melbourne & Fremantle Australia (Port codes: Auckland:NZ AKL ; Melbourne:AU MEL ; Fremantle:AU FRE).

0

Video Genesis – Berkeley Class Pilot Boat by Dongara Marine

published on 25 October 2020

Harbour Services Australia was the client for this ultra-efficient pilot vessel, Dongara Marine's second Berkeley Class pilot boat to operate from the port of Fremantle. Delivered in June 2019 it joined Fremantle Pilots’ Berkeley, which had already been operating with great success in the Western Australian port since 2015. Purpose-designed to maximise overall operability and the safety and comfort of pilots and crew even in demanding sea conditions, the Berkeley Class provides: • High open...

0

Video Ship pilotage from Port of Fremantle - CMA CGM Lamartine 22 April 2016

published on 28 September 2021

32x real-time. Footage by Tim Gourlay (www.perthhydro.com) during April 2016 GNSS ship motion trials with the Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, and Fremantle Ports.

0

Video Radio communication, reporting and embarkation of pilot onboard cargo ship

published on 15 September 2021

A glimpse onboard cargo ship on how we do reportings upon entering VTS area and contacting of pilot upon arrival. On this video, the vessel is arriving in port of Bremen, Germany.
How we do it onboard? Watch the full video.

0

Article Dissertation: Reducing the subjective impact in maritime simulator assessment (2020)

published on 14 October 2021

"A performance assessment tool for maritime pilotage operations" - by Jørgen Ernstsen, Norway
When the ship is approaching or leaving a port, a local navigational expert, the pilot, is often provided for assisting the bridge team to safely and efficiently navigate the littoral waters.

0

Video Marine pilot boat | valencia pilot

published on 6 April 2021

Marine Pilot leaving our ship during night in valencia port harbour.

0

Video Humber Pilotage Area - Pilot Disembarkation

published on 13 January 2022

Humber Pilotage Area - Pilot Disembarkation
#shorts #short #shortsvideo #shortvideo #seafarer #seaman #ship #vessel #hull #humberriver #uk #unitedkingdom

0

Video In respect of the vessel: Stellar Banner Scuttled Off Brazil

published on 15 June 2020

Notice by the Editor of Marine-Pilots.com: "The sight of a sinking ship should always make us humble because it helps us to realize how small man is compared to the thousands of tons of steel a ship is made of - and how pale we are in comparison to the great power of the sea. Ships may have a soul, as they have names as well... Their end therefore should make us sad. There´s no fun or joy in watching this.” The vessel was refloated earlier this month following the removal of approximately...

0

Video History: Trinity House Buoys (1966)

published on 18 May 2020

Harwich, Essex. Several shots of buoys at a warehouse on the quay. Various shots show the Trinity House Vessel 'Siren' setting out to sea to carry out maintenance on buoys; a naval flag showing the Union Jack and the Trinity House Jack is hoisted; officers are seen using sextants and plotting their course on a chart. Nice M/S of a sailor tying on a life jacket. Sailors drop anchor beside a buoy, hoist weather balloons and ring bells on the ship. The buoy is cleaned of mussels and limpets...

0