Ship sailing from Liverpool Docks

It remains a sad fact that accidents and near misses continue to occur during pilot transfers with frightening regularity. Most of these fortunately do not result in injury, and a surprisingly high number of them are not even recognised for what they are.

Surveys into pilot ladder safety consistently reveal that unacceptably high numbers of pilot transfer arrangements are not compliant with the regulations.

by Kenya Citizen TV

A video of a fellow captain at my work giving me my very first ride in the companies jet pilot boat. Im impressed.

Based on MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025, Case 12, published April 2025 by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

Full titles read: "PILOT BOAT TRAGEDY"
L/S of almost submerged wreck of a Mersey pilot boat in which 22 men died during storm that wrecked her. M/S of wrecked lifeboat from pilot boat lying on beach.
FILM ID:1029.07
A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. http://www.britishpathe.tv/

Armstrong Marine USA recently delivered Piloto VIII to support marine pilotage operations in and around the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico.

The hazards of Pilot boarding
Throughout 2016, the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) held a safety campaign focused upon the standard of pilot ladders and associated equipment. CHIRP supported this campaign and received many reports on the subject.
This first report describes issues concerning pilot access near
the non-parallel ends of a ship, and use of a retractable platform.

Today is the beginning of IMPA´s 2020 Safety Campaign survey, and we would like to encourage you all to participate!

To submit a report click here: https://survey.impahq.org

The theory of the 'Swiss cheese' model of incident causation and investigation.

Pilotage is being able to navigate safely into and out of a harbour/anchorage/port knowing where you are at all times, where your hazards are and a safe route in/out. This is particularly useful if you are heading into somewhere new or a challenging/busy area – or both!