BW guide to Pilot Ladder compliance

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...

On April 20, 2026, the Columbia River Bar Pilots conducted a MOB drill with the U.S. Coast Guard Station Astoria.

Harbour pilots perform tricky operations boarding big cruise ships from fast pilot boats. Auckland and Malta.

Columbia River Bar pilot transfer using helicopter from Articulated Tug and Barge Island Monarch / Island Trader, April 29, 2021 near Astoria, Oregon, USA.

Commencement of the Open Testing phase for Pilot-Guard.org, a platform designed to enhance the safety of maritime pilots through effective deficiency reporting and data exchange.

ABB, together with Singaporean shipyard Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), has successfully carried out South Asia’s first remote joystick control of a tugboat in the busy Port of Singapore.
The Port of Singapore, with more than 130,000 vessels calling annually, presents one of the most complex settings for autonomous harbor operations in the world. The trial marks a major milestone in validating the increased safety and efficiency of tug operations utilizing digital solutions already...

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.