by Nick Lee, T&TC Chairman, UK Pilots - published on 4 February 2020
Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) and other individual MOB devices have been available for some years now and have evolved to incorporate a variety of different alerting methods and combinations. However, usage of these additional enhancements within UK Pilotage is still in its infancy.
In the spring of 2023, the IMO Sub-commission on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) may start a process of review and amendments to the SOLAS Ch V. reg 23
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 UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) has published their latest annual report showing that pilot ladders remain a safety issue for workers.