Incident on 31 January 2020 : A rope of the pilot ladder breaks. Pilot could still reach the vessel

From that moment on I have been keeping a tally of the non compliant boarding arrangements I see in front of me on a daily base, and off course I participate in the annual safety campaign, conducted by IMPA each october.

A 35-year-old male sea pilot of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) fell into the sea from a crude oil tanker near the N Shed Wharf in the port of Durban. A rope of the pilot ladder is said to have snapped for an undetermined reason when the man disembarked while leaving the crude oil tanker which was leaving the port of Durban.

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.

In fact, the pivot point that we “see” is a trick of the eye, it looks like the ship is rotating about this point but in fact it is elsewhere, a point that you cannot see.

The Journal of the international Maritime Pilots´ Association

Baird maritime awards: Southerly Designs & Dongara Marine

The maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #8-Rotterdam-RWG: The birds-eye view of the largest mega containership in the world on 3 June 2020. Look at the port-side aspect moored starboard-side in Rotterdam.

For the second time in less than twelve months, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has announced the successful legal action against a ship's master and the shipping company due to a defective ladder, leading to a pilot's injury during transfer

Bergstraum inbound to Regent Quay in Aberdeen Harbour with the tug Kittywake assisting.

Another video by Knud Benedict: This movie reveals some practical insight into regions of course stable / unstable conditions under wind. And I dare to say you can get some insight into other stability types and analogies, too!