Pilot fell overboard during a storm off the coast of Borkum (Germany) and was rescued

Does the growth of ships ever have limits? Perhaps less in shipbuilding than in the handling of the ships during piloting.

On August 28, the world's largest container ship completed its first crossing in the Suez Canal. Due to its huge size and this is the first voyage of the ship, it has received extra attention and special treatment from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

A 35-year-old male sea pilot of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) fell into the sea from a crude oil tanker near the N Shed Wharf in the port of Durban. A rope of the pilot ladder is said to have snapped for an undetermined reason when the man disembarked while leaving the crude oil tanker which was leaving the port of Durban.

Product tanker NORTHSEA RATIONAL in load contacted embankment in Neumuelen, Hamburg, in the morning Nov 25, while maneuvering to berth, according to FleetMon.
It stated: “Tanker sustained serious damages to starboard bow, cause of accident yet unknown.
“She was berthed after accident, and as of evening Nov 25, remained, berthed. There was no hull breach in cargo tanks area, no cargo loss reported.”

The Finnish special vessel "Meri" collided with Holtenau High Bridge (Holtenauer Hochbrücke) over the Kiel Canal early on 30 Nov 2022 morning at around 4.37 am.

On 6 November 2017, the fully laden, mini cape-size dry bulk carrier Orient Centaur was transiting the South Channel, Weipa, Queensland, outbound under the conduct of harbour pilots as part of a trial introduction of this size of ship to the port. While in the South Channel, the ship’s main engine shut down due to a loss of water from a cracked engine cooling component, and propulsion was lost. Shortly after, the ship grounded on the northern batter of the channel. The stern then slowly...

In it´s August 2022 monthly safety scenario, the Swedish Club describes an accident where a pilot had fallen into the water, after one of the side ropes of the ladder broke.

Southwest Alaska Pilots Association’s new Gladding and Hearn built, C Raymond Hunt designed pilot boat disembarks Capt. Ron Ward at Bligh Reef Pilot Station in Prince William Sound, Alaska March 2020

The pilot boat Huron Spirit picking up a District 3 pilot from the downbound oil/chemical tanker Algoluna on the St. Clair River in Port Huron/Sarnia on March 9, 2024 as captured on the StreamTime Live Camera.
https://www.youtube.com/live/eLUGwEv9IBk?si=O_QyOD3sAMvp_SQd