#DangerousLadders on Facebook

Before you, you see my third article on pilot boarding arrangements. After my two previous articles
(‘1000 ways to secure a pilot ladder’ and ‘1000 ladders around’, I have received a lot of feedback and
also questions to get deeper into the matter of combinations and embarkation platforms.

Jacobsen Pilot Service and Los Angeles Pilot Station published a notice to all ships to inspect pilot ladders before the pilot boards.

Reason is an incident happened at the port of long beach in July 2020. Pilot ladder rope broke while the pilot was on the ladder - luckily the pilot was able to hold on.

There are many things in both our everyday and professional lives which we take for granted and never question the origins of, an example of this might be the IMPA recommended ‘pilot mark or pilot line’, which is sometimes seen on the side of vessels indicating where a vessels freeboard exceeds 9 metres.

By the end of this year, our sea pilots are set to have undertaken a record number of pilotage acts. The total number is set to exceed 10,700, with almost 99% of the acts completed without delay.

The PIA project of German pilots is a great maritime success story and ensures greater safety and efficiency on German shipping routes. Thus, with no exceptions, all of the approx. 890 German maritime and port traffic controllers could be gathered for use of the PIA system and its PPU.

The pilots say that Port Tampa Bay leadership is leaning on them to change policies in ways they say would be less safe.

This paper described some of the characteristics it could offer to be classified as "smart" by reviewing risk management practices and accident statistics using the Finnish port of Rauma.

For as long as ships have been sailing the seas, there have been maritime pilots to guide them through the most dangerous waterways. But there is a worldwide shortage of seafarers and the industry is struggling to attract young people into the profession. Our Business Correspondent Sarah Corker has been given rare access to film with pilots on the Humber Estuary who work 365 days a year, whatever the weather. And a warning, Sarah’s report may make you feel sea sick.

Humphree motion control systems appear on these pages almost weekly. Established 19 years ago by a group of very experienced Swedish marine engineers, the company has made a distinguished name for its products in the comparatively short time since.

This report on incidents involving vessels under pilotage, is an update on that issued in 2006. The IG’s first report examined five years of data between 1999 and 2004.