China wants to change pilot ladder regulations

This is an in-depth discussion of the risks involved in maritime pilot transfers; an interesting job but with a risky commute to work.

Before you, you see my third article on pilot boarding arrangements. After my two previous articles
(‘1000 ways to secure a pilot ladder’ and ‘1000 ladders around’, I have received a lot of feedback and
also questions to get deeper into the matter of combinations and embarkation platforms.

"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

The European Maritime Pilot´s Association has released the new Newsletter issue 003/2022.

When it came time to replace their 50-year-old station vessel New York, the Sandy Hook Pilots Association thought long and hard, weighing their options to determine the best possible solution.

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.

Two decades ago, candidates were selected for TNPA's accelerated training programme in Rotterdam, which aimed to train a new generation of ship pilots, managers and other maritime professionals.

Here’s a nice little video of the sea trials of ‘Svitzer Oued Martil’ including some cool on-board 360 camera footage of her going through some pretty big breaking seas during rough weather testing, and some nice foggy day drone footage and trials alongside the Brittany Ferry ‘Armorique’.

For as long as ships have been sailing the seas, there have been maritime pilots to guide them through the most dangerous waterways. But there is a worldwide shortage of seafarers and the industry is struggling to attract young people into the profession. Our Business Correspondent Sarah Corker has been given rare access to film with pilots on the Humber Estuary who work 365 days a year, whatever the weather. And a warning, Sarah’s report may make you feel sea sick.

The St. Andrew’s Bay Pilots are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Captain Phillip Brady, age 46, on January 12, 2026.