Pilot Ladder Handbook by PTR Holland (latest version)

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...

Commercial video by PTR Holland. Published by Marine-Pilots.com

This is one common method to board the pilot. And here it is a special boat which is very fast with new technology

A Virginia Pilot Association harbor pilot disembarks the U.S. flag containership Maersk Atlanta before the ship sails north along the U.S. East Coast.
Featured in this video is the Virginia Pilots' brand new pilot boat, Hampton Roads.

Brief footage of a maritime pilot disembarking the Disney Magic and boarding his pilot boat as we left Nassau in January 2022.

NANIWA　(Pilot Vessel) IMO: - MMSI: 431007094 Call Sign: - Flag: Japan [JP] AIS Vessel Type: Other Gross Tonnage: - Deadweight: - Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 18m × 4m Year Built: - Status: Active Voyage Info https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:3738287/mmsi:431007094/vessel:NANIWA

SF Bar Pilot transfer- offshore pilot station.