Tuesday, October 1st is the start date of the latest International Maritime Pilot Association's annual Safety Campaign.

Previous campaigns by the association have consistently shown results of pilot ladder deficiencies around the 20% mark.

ABP Southampton: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that some ships have a pilot transfer arrangement consisting of an accommodation ladder / pilot ladder combination with a trapdoor that does not meet IMO standards in effect since at least 2012.

Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.

March 8th 20201. Bulk carrier Camila outbound from Lough Foyle after carrying grain to Foyle Port at Lisahally. For this video I focused on the Foyle Leader and Foyle Pilots as they chased the ship to the outer portion of the lough where it enters the open sea.

Eray Demirkol, one of the pilots of the Dardanelles Strait General Directorate of Coastal Safety, fell from the pilot ladder into the sea while he was boarding the 176-meter bulk carrier 28653 DWT named "Lord Nelson".

Pilots boarding the M/V Hodaka Galaxy with the San Francisco Bar Pilots.
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Pilot leaves the Regent Seven Seas Navigator at Halifax

Video Courtesy: Kristijan Sablic

This publication (2024) details the rules, regulations and procedures that should be followed when preparing for pilot embarkation and disembarkation. It includes relevant excerpts from SOLAS regulations and IMO resolutions.