Article #dangerousladders - Using social media to improve pilot transfer safety.
by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 12 December 2019
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.
Article Interactive pilot ladder poster by UKMPA
by United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association - published on 14 August 2025
Video Cebu Harbor Pilot Boarding 2GO Maligaya
published on 4 July 2022
Video Hamburg Pilot Boarding
published on 14 August 2020
Video Griffiths off Point Lonsdale, for a look over Griffiths see this video https://youtu.be/rAnG87kd9Uw
published on 26 August 2025
Article ‘Smart Ports. Piers of the future' brings together six large ports
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 25 November 2019
Video Port of Stockton: River Pilots
published on 17 December 2019
The San Francisco Bar Pilots are one of the important cogs in our supply chain wheel. They are tasked with boarding the vessels eleven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge via a rope ladder often in rough seas and taking control of the vessels en route to the Port of Stockton. Once on the bridge of the ship, the Pilot oversees navigation and ensures the safe passage of ships into the Bay and through the Delta until it is secured alongside its berth at the Port. Without these Pilots the...