The pilot ladder shouldn’t be a killing ladder!

There are many things in both our everyday and professional lives which we take for granted and never question the origins of, an example of this might be the IMPA recommended ‘pilot mark or pilot line’, which is sometimes seen on the side of vessels indicating where a vessels freeboard exceeds 9 metres.

During the transit time on the pilot launch between the shore and the vessel, marine pilots will spend at least a portion of that time carrying out (either consciously or subconsciously) a risk assessment of the forthcoming operation.

Over the past few years a number of pilot transfer accidents have occurred resulting from total failure of the side ropes, one school of thought is that the methods of securing a pilot ladder is a factor in such occurrences.

Video by Capt. Pilot Herman Broers, Netherlands.
Inbound with CHIOS LUCK 188m, to Waalhaven Buoy 29 for discharging woodchips from Mobile Alabama. #loodswezen #portofrotterdam

IMO: - Name: KOBE Vessel Type - Generic: Pilot Vessel Vessel Type - Detailed: Pilot Vessel Status: Active MMSI: 431004316 Call Sign: - Flag: Japan [JP] Gross Tonnage: - Summer DWT: - Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 19 x 4 m Year Built: - Home Port: - https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:661819/mmsi:431004316/imo:0/vessel:KOBE

The Norwegian Coastal Administration has signed an agreement with Aboa Mare to provide a new
course for pilots and VTS operators. By practising together in a simulator, maritime safety along the
Norwegian coast will be reinforced.

On this episode of What's Going on With Shipping, Sal Mercogliano - former merchant mariner and maritime historian at Campbell University - updates the situation regarding the grounding of MV Ever Forward, which departed Baltimore on March 13, 2022 enroute to Norfolk.

New Pilot Vessel "SEA MASTER" / On board Bulk Carrier Ship "TAI HAWK" - Arriving at #Recalada #BoardingStation #KM239_1 #PuntaIndioChannel #RioDeLaPlata #Argentine Nueva Lancha de Prácticos "SEA MASTER" / A bordo del Buque de Transporte a Granel "TAI HAWK" - Llegando a Recalada #EstaciónDeEmbarque KM 239,1 del Canal Punta Indio, del Río de La Plata #Argentina This video (original sound) was filmed on board Bulk Carrier Ship "TAI HAWK" (IMO Number: 9284556) and shows the moment when the...

This video complements the earlier demonstration of wind effect on straight track and shows now wind effect on turning circles. It can be seen that during a turn under strong wind the ship reduces turning when it comes close to equilibrium on straight track - if the Wind-to-ship speed ratio is big enough then the ship even goes straight instead of turning. This is shown for three samples for Head, Stern wind and Beam wind. The turning can be increased if the ratio of Wind speed-to-ship...