Article

One small step… for maritime safety

published on 7 July 2022 - 86 -

Show comment section |

Text and picture by Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)

The MAIB’s Annual Report published in June highlighted the issue of unsafe pilot ladders, a concern that has been regularly voiced by the industry. In 2021, the branch received almost 200 reports about substandard pilot ladders. Of those, 87% of the ladders were rigged incorrectly (top image) and the remainder were observed by the marine pilot as being materially defective (Figure 1). Fortunately, serious accidents have been rare, but the potential for injury and even loss of life clearly exists.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/one-small-step-for-maritime-safety

What's your opinion on this?

Article Jacobsen Pilot Service and Los Angeles Pilot Station publish notice to all ships

published on 15 August 2020

Jacobsen Pilot Service and Los Angeles Pilot Station published a notice to all ships to inspect pilot ladders before the pilot boards.

Reason is an incident happened at the port of long beach in July 2020. Pilot ladder rope broke while the pilot was on the ladder - luckily the pilot was able to hold on.

Article New Pilot Ladder Magnet Is Switchable

published on 29 June 2021

On the back of the long-standing success of the Yellow-Mag ll Pilot Ladder Magnet worldwide, Serpent & Dove—Applied Magnetics is introducing its patented Yellow-Mag lll Switchable Pilot Ladder Magnet.

Video Pilot Ladder Safety Webinar by The Nautical Institute

published on 12 May 2022

The Nautical Institute (NI) and the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) have been concerned for many years at the needlessly high rate of Pilot Ladder casualties. The NI is continuously reminded of the problem from its Members and through its Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme (MARS). The issue features frequently in our publications, and we recently dedicated an edition of our award winning magazine The Navigator to the topic, emphasising the importance of good...

Video Harmony of the Seas leaving St Thomas Pilot Boat 1/20/22

published on 21 January 2022

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas leaving St Thomas pilot Boat 1/20/22

Article Tanger Med establishs 3D nautical simulation and expertise center

published on 24 November 2020

In order to strengthen the technical skills of its collaborators and partners running the facilities,Tanger Med has established a three-dimensional nautical simulation and expertise center

Video Daily Life: Puget Sound Ship Pilot (2015)

published on 22 December 2021

Great insights into the work of pilots on Puget Sound

Video Ship Pilot Boarding Ship near San Francisco

published on 5 May 2023

Video New Pilot Boats for Los Angeles

published on 6 February 2021

The Los Angeles Pilot Service has welcomed two new pilot boats, Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator, to the Port of Los Angeles. The 56-foot boats custom-built by Vigor Industrial made their way from Vancouver, Wash. to replace older pilot boats, Phineas Banning and Stephen M. White, which both served the Port of Los Angeles for more than 25 years and were recently retired. The new pilot boats are equipped with the latest safety, navigation, and fuel efficiency features designed to help the...

Video Piloting car carrier "Felicity Ace", from Brixham Pilot Station (2022 RIP)

published on 30 March 2022

Mission ended well and disembarked on 13/12/2021. She didn't. Weekes later she caught major fire and sank South of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately, the crew abandoned the ship and no casualties were reported.

Article Origins of the IMPA pilot mark

by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 24 October 2019

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.