Accommodation Ladder Load Testing

Watch and learn how a pilot boards a container ship before entering port.
In this video, a container ship bound for Houston, Texas is boarded by a Houston Pilot before entering the Houston Ship Channel.
#maritime #HoustonPilots #houstonshipchannel

Over the course of 4 days this August, I was afforded the opportunity and privilege of riding with the Savannah Bar Pilots for an article I was writing for a major maritime magazine. The pilots are given the responsibility of boarding a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean and safely navigating the vessel up the Tybee Road 9 (a name for the shipping lane that leads into the Savannah River), into the Savannah River, and into the Port of Savannah. The same is done in reverse when a ship is outbound...

A counterfeit ladder is a pilot ladder that purports to be a genuine approved ladder, from a manufacturer that has been certified by an approved body in the manufacture of pilot ladders to a certified standards.

In early December, just as I was starting to get into ship spotting, I saw a couple of vessels headed up river towards Philly. One of them, the Cielo di Iyo met with the harbor pilot right as I had my drone up. I was able to capture the Pilot coming to meet the vessel and CLIMBING the ladder to get on board just before she passed beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge.

The Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis has released Marine Safety Alert 05-21, to notify mariners to a potentially dangerous situation involving corrosion of the turntable pin on accommodation ladders.

May is Maritime Month at the Port of San Diego and we are proud to highlight some of our hardworking men and women of the Working Waterfront. Meet Captain Lyle Donovan, a San Diego Bay pilot with the San Diego Bay Pilots Association. His work consists of guiding ships in and out of San Diego Bay in a safe and efficient manner. A typical day includes guiding a 650-foot car carrying vessel or a 950-foot cruise ship into San Diego Bay. This entails boarding the vessels by climbing up a ladder,...

The transfer of Marine Ship’s Pilots by helicopter hoist is a demanding task. These 24/7, severe weather missions require detailed training in all phases of the operations and focus on the “team’s” capabilities is essential in all phases of the operations and focus on the “team’s” capabilities is essential.

The British Tugowners Association are pleased to release to industry is latest guidance release, Recovery of Persons in Water (PIW) Guide to Good Practice for Small Vessels.

Southampton, Hampshire. L/S of the ships and boats in a busy harbour. C/U shot of a nice looking old ship. Camera pans to a couple of little ships - tugs. M/S of one of the tugs "Flying Kestrel" with its Captain Collingwood observing. M/S of "Queen Elizabeth" - the largest passenger liner in the world. "Seven tugs go into action when "Queen Elizabeth" leaves Southampton" - tells a voiceover. M/S of Captain Collingwood giving instructions on the bridge of "Flying Kestrel". M/S of the tug...