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

Going down the accommodation ladder with neither lifevest nor safety line must have been based on similar, past, successful operations, which may have never been challenged on board. This ‘slippage’ in safety is a pernicious and common phenomenon.

For "Der Spiegel", an experienced pilot and ex-captain analysed the accident of the freighter Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal for days, on the basis of documents. His conclusion: the captain and pilot made serious mistakes during the passage.

Despite clear regulations and regular maintenance requirements, safety often falls by the wayside, as the current example of a bulk carrier vividly demonstrates.

Container ship APL MEXICO CITY broke off her mooring at Doel, Antwerp, in the afternoon Dec 9, drifted across harbor and contacted DP World pier crane. Crane collapsed and was totally destroyed.

ChirpMaritime has just released their annual analysis of maritime reports (2022-2023).

This publication (2024) details the rules, regulations and procedures that should be followed when preparing for pilot embarkation and disembarkation. It includes relevant excerpts from SOLAS regulations and IMO resolutions.

The local harbor pilot boards the 2GO Maligaya on the port side during her Monday noon arrival to Cebu from Manila
See my photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dareleven/

• Ship name : ELKA ASTIR • L.O.A : 189 m • Max draught : 11 m • Deadweight: 49990 t • Name of Pilot : Haitham Alzahrani - Saudi Arabia