Picture by AMSA
There have been several recent incidents where manropes have failed whilst pilots have been using the pilot boarding arrangements.
AMSA would like to remind shipowners, operators, masters, crews, recognised organisations, marine pilots and pilotage providers of the importance of safe pilot transfer arrangements.
Operators should pay particular attention to the condition of manropes, ongoing maintenance and how they are stored to ensure they remain in a safe condition.
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.
The Nautical Institute (NI) and the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) have been concerned for many years at the needlessly high rate of Pilot Ladder casualties. The NI is continuously reminded of the problem from its Members and through its Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme (MARS). The issue features frequently in our publications, and we recently dedicated an edition of our award winning magazine The Navigator to the topic, emphasising the importance of good...
A more unique angle regarding freighter departures; I was able to film the routine disembarking of one of our local ship captains and officers after piloting Solina out of the harbor. This is a required procedure, as per US Maritime Laws, all international freighters must be piloted in and out of a US harbor by a US Captain. Here we have out local pilot vessel Sea Bear running up alongside the Solina to allow the two officers to depart the freighter before she heads out across Lake Superior
15 mtr pilot boat classed under BV with the notation Electric Hybrid and Zero-Emission (“ZE”) mode. This notation provides operational and environmental benefits. It helps to ensure the systems operate safely and efficiently, as well as reduce fuel consumption, local air emissions and noise when in proximity to centers of population.
