Article

Murphy's law on pilot boarding - Arie Palmers


by Arie Palmers - published on 20 July 2021 525 -

1. Any knot that can come loose will do so at the most inconvenient moment

2. Slipknots are called like that for a reason

3. The last bolt of 8 holding the gangway platform up, will let go when a pilot stands on it

4. Gangway platforms that were severely stuck, will suddenly give way when a pilot steps on it

5. Rain always starts 5 minutes before the pilot transfer

6. Wind will start blowing 5 minutes prior to ETA pilot station

7. If there is a way to rig a pilotladder wrong, someone will do so eventually

8. The day you forget your helmet a twistlock will fall down from the vessel you’re attempting to board

9. Automatic lifejackets will inflate automatically at the moment you absolutely don’t want them to

10. From all ways to rig a ladder, the wrong way is the easiest

11. Whenever several things can go wrong, the one that causes most damage will

12. Every solution breeds new problems

13. It’s impossible to make a foolproof pilot ladder securing device because fools are so ingenious

14. You cannot legislate for stupidity

15. Probability of a bow thruster failure is inversely proportionally to distance with the quay

16. If everything seems to be going well, you’re overlooking something

17. The chances of the pilot launch scratching the paint of a vessel is directly proportional to the cost and date of the last drydock paintjob

18. A shortcut to the bridge is always the longest distance between 2 points

19. When you eliminate 4 ways on which a pilotladder can be rigged wrong, a fifth way you’re unprepared for will promptly develop

20. You’re always against the current until you’re almost there

21. Wind is not your friend

22. A safe lee is non existing

23. When there is a chance of getting wet during transfer, you will

24. Pilot launches are exponentially stronger than ankles

MURPHY WAS AN OPTIMIST
sea, river, harbor pilot (westerschelde, oosterschelde and adjacent coastal area) active marine pilot - Loodswezen - NEDERLANDSE LOODSENCORPORATIE


50 years old, without a proper birthday party this year ( thank you corona..) 12 years as a pilot 2 years offshore/tugboats 8 years with juvenile delinquents mv Koningin Juliana, mv Smal Agt 8 years Navy: minehunter, explosive ordnance clearance 2 years army: artillery sergeant

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Captain Michal Sinius Poland
on 1 August 2021, 06:21 UTC

Item 16 summs up it all!
0

RC
Ricardo Caballero Vega Panama Canal Pilots Association, Panama
on 20 July 2021, 16:09 UTC

I could not agree more!
0

Read more...

Article Combinations Ladders: "1,000 combinations around" (by Arie Palmers)

by Arie Palmers, Netherlands - published on 13 July 2020

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.

2

Article Pilots: deaths from unsafe pilot ladders and incompetent crew

published on 22 December 2021

The international pilots association Impa is sounding the alarm about unsafe pilot ladders. According to the pilots, a worldwide survey has shown that access to the ship via the pilot's ladder often does not comply with the regulations.

0

Video Webinar Dangerous Ladders - Capt. Arie Palmers

published on 7 April 2022

Marine Pilot Arie Palmers, who works in the Netherlands, will make a presentation on the irregularities found in the embarkation and disembarkation ladders of ships. After suffering two accidents in 2018, Arie became an inspector of the problems and has been an active voice in search of corrections with shipping companies, manufacturers, certifiers and entities that deal with the theme. According to him, the day-to-day practice shows that more than 50% of the means of access to vessels are...

0

Video Belo Horizonte Bulk Carrier of AO Shipping arrives to Phu My Port - Baria Serece, Vietnam

published on 26 November 2021

Short video of the arrival of the bulk carrier BELO HORIZONTE. Shooting a shipping documentation and industrial photography for AO SHIPPING HaAMBURG in BARIA SERECE, PHU MY PORT in Vietnam. Activities and the unloading of Soya by cranes for a freight transport film. Director, dop/cameraman, drone operator, production: Peter Scheid. We thank the Baria Serece management in Phu My, Vietnam for their great support to realize this shooting. SHOWREEL INDUSTRY, VIETNAM FACTORY & MACHINES: REEL 1....

1

Article Maritime Pilots’ Risky Operational Behavior Analysis Based on Structural Equation Model

published on 12 October 2022

In this paper, a maritime pilots’ risky behaviour related factors questionnaire is designed to identify and quantify the factors of maritime pilots’ risky operational behaviour.

4

Opinion Simulators in Marine Pilot Training: AMPI Position Statement

by Australasian Marine Pilots Institute - published on 18 October 2024

One of AMPI’s core missions is to advocate for the safety and well-being of marine pilots, and an essential part of that work is developing Position Statements.

0

Video Radio communication, reporting and embarkation of pilot onboard cargo ship

published on 15 September 2021

A glimpse onboard cargo ship on how we do reportings upon entering VTS area and contacting of pilot upon arrival. On this video, the vessel is arriving in port of Bremen, Germany.
How we do it onboard? Watch the full video.

0

Video CMA CGM MISSOURI 300m Container Ship grounded in Suez Canal

published on 14 October 2020

Container ship CMA CGM MISSOURI ran aground in Suez Canal while transiting in southern direction, at around 0930 UTC Oct 14. As of 1745 UTC, probably refloated or moved, several Suez Canal tugs attending. Traffic probably suspended, but it’s not confirmed. No information on what caused grounding.
Container ship CMA CGM MISSOURI, IMO 9679919, dwt 115600, capacity 9448 TEU, built 2016, flag Liberia.

0

Video Presentation of manned ship models at Port Revel Shiphandling Training Centre

published on 24 October 2019

Port Revel is used for shiphandling training of maritime pilots, masters and officers on a 5 ha lake with 11 manned model ships representing 20 vessels, and 4 tugs at scale 1:25 and DGPS tracking system. Instructors are former maritime pilots.
Training on the scale models provides experience that could never be gained on real ships for the simple reason that neither ship-owners nor local authorities would allow such risks to be taken. Scale models allow the shiphandler to make mistakes....

0