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.

In our new section “Five questions for ..." Marine-Pilots.com introduces pilots and other market players to our readers in short interviews. Today we have seven questions!

We have talked to Capt. Gajanan Karanjikar, President at All India Maritime Pilots association

Case Study: An investigation into whether Port of Melbourne and major port user, ExxonMobil, could bring deeper drafted vessels into the channel.

Surely, the new invention also reduced the amount of time and hands (manpower) previously required to perform such a task. Now those idling "extra hands" could dedicate the "extra time" that was made available, to take care of other issues important for the community.

There are approximately 160 Columbia River Pilots, which are organized into two associations. The Columbia River Pilots Association (CRPA) is made up of 80 pilots, while the Washington Pilots Association (WPA) consists of 80 pilots.