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.

On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.

Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.

Bulk Carrier Ship "LUMPHINI PARK"/ #RioDeLaPlataPilots Embarking Maneuver/ On board #PilotVessel "SEA MASTER"/ #BoardingPoint #JP #Recalada  #RioDeLaPlata - 14th. July 2025 - 13:46 hs. (Local Time).- 20250714_134626_1_1 This video (original sound) was filmed on board Pilot Vessel "SEA MASTER" and shows the Rio de la Plata Pilots, when they Embarked on board the Bulk Carrier Ship "LUMPHINI PARK". This maneuver occurred in #JP #BoardingStation  #Recalada #RioDeLaPlata.- Date: 14th.July 2025....

Ideas from Nasir Khan, Port Pilot: "I would like to suggest that we try an experiment and make some modifications that will result in a better grip on the handrails of the ship's ladder and on the pilot ladder steps. Let's talk about it!" Modifications: Ships Ladder Handrails & Width of the Pilot Ladder steps. "I analyze the subject of fallen Pilots are two main reasons: -Pilot's hands are losing their grip at the ship's handrails. At transfer point mostly pilots lose their grip on Ships...

#PilotVessel "SEA PILOT"/ On board #BulkCarrierShip "ASL ARK" #KM239_1 #PuntaIndioChannel #Recalada #RioDeLaPlata #JP #BoardingPoint/ 19th. August 2025 - 09:47 Local Time.- On this video (with original sound), you can watch the moment in which the Pilot Vessel "SEA PILOT" arrived to the Port Side of the Bulk Carrier Ship "ASL ARK" (Approaching Maneuver) to Disembark the Rio de la Plata Pilots, from that vessel at the #BoardingStation​ #KM239_1 #PuntaIndioChannel #Recalada​ #RioDeLaPlata​.-...

At the end of the disembarking procedure, the pilot jumps on ropes onto the pilot boat. Is this often seen practice safe? Can the pilot resolve the situation better?

Clint Winegar, Presiding Officer, Houston Pilots, discusses the organization in the round, explaining how the Houston operation remains one of three in the country that still utilizes station boat.

Since October, pilots from Kiel have been unable to use their offshore transfer station. Long detours and limited rest periods have complicated their workdays, with no end in sight.